Today we were able to look at the first computer's files.
About 20 - 30 of them were marked system, hidden, read only.
We cleared the attribute bits with the ATTRIB command and the database now appears to be normal. We were able to do a
backup(that failed before) and were able to paste in 50K blocks of text with no problems.
We verified that the data directory is owned by the proper postgres user ("limited account") and that only that user
hasaccess to the directory or its files. (This is unlike the second computer, where we had permitted other users to
haveaccess.)
So it appears to be a pristine postgres installation, except that somehow some of the files were changed.
We have no clue how that happened. At this time the AV software is not installed. We will watch carefully to see if
filesget altered again in this way. Although the second computer has a newer OS and is more powerful, the client
prefersto leave the database on the original computer because it has better physical security.
Now we just wait to see what happens next, if anything. Thanks for your help.
John
On Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:59:18 +0200, Magnus Hagander wrote:
>On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 10:57, Scott Marlowe <scott.marlowe@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 2:35 AM, Magnus Hagander <magnus@hagander.net> wrote:
>>> On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 05:17, John T. Dow <john@johntdow.com> wrote:
>>>> Apparently the problem boils down to this question: how did some of the files get set to be system and read only?
>>>
>>> Yes. That would be very interesting to know. PostgreSQL never
>>> (intentionally) sets these flags, so they must've come from something
>>> else.
>>
>> Being a non-privaledged account, does the postgres user even have the
>> power to do that?
>
>Yes, IIRC any user that has write permissions on a file can set the
>attributes, including readonly and system.
>
>
>--
> Magnus Hagander
> Me: http://www.hagander.net/
> Work: http://www.redpill-linpro.com/
>
>--
>Sent via pgsql-general mailing list (pgsql-general@postgresql.org)
>To make changes to your subscription:
>http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-general