PostgreSQL on Mac OSX - cannot log in as postgres user

Question

I installed postgresql and geodjango on Mac OSX following this tutorial word for word. For some reason

sudo su - postgres

does not work. I put in my sudo password, but when I type "whoami" it's still my normal user login.

I know there is postgres user after I saw the list from

dscl . -list /Users UniqueID

Any idea why this is happening? I installed PSQL 9.1.1 server version.

Thank you.

Login: postgres Name: PostgreSQL Server Directory: /var/empty Shell: /usr/bin/false Never logged in. No Mail. No Plan. — DavidL
– DavidL, Commented Dec 7, 2011 at 6:17

Craig Ringer · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-06 13:35:03Z

5

The postgres account probably has disabled login rights and/or /bin/false as the login shell.

In this case you had best invoke postgresql commands directly, eg: sudo -u postgres psql

That should work even with a disabled login shell.

answered Dec 6, 2011 at 13:35

Craig Ringer

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