Questions:
1) Both servers are x64?
> yes
2) What installation files(Graphical installer, source,etc)?
> postgresql-9.3.0-1-windows-x64 from
enterprisedb.com <
http://enterprisedb.com>
3) Does the data directory have the config files?
> yes
however, postgresql b won't start ("not listening")?
4) How are you starting?
> pgadmin -> start server
5) What is the exact error message and where are you seeing it?
> "server not listening on port 5432" in cmd ('netstat -ab | find
"5432"' also returns empty)
Have you checked what port is set up in postgresql.conf?
> yes (port = 5432)
I am not that familiar with Windows and pgAdmin so I will resort to the docs:
Does any of the below apply?
http://www.pgadmin.org/docs/1.8/connect.html"If pgAdmin is running on a Windows machine, it can control the postmaster service if you have enough access rights. Enter the name of the service. In case of a remote server, it must be prepended by the machine name (e.g. PSE1\pgsql-8.0). pgAdmin will automatically discover services running on your local machine. "
> thanks. it doesn't help. i also tried pg_ctl without luck (
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.3/static/app-pg-ctl.html).
so i restored postgresql b's old /data/, but it still won't start?!
6) So there was an existing Postgres instance at b?
> yes. two installations - a and b.
I am still not understanding. You have a 2008 server at a and one at b. You copied the Postgres data files from 2008 server a to 2008 server b. This did not work, so you say you restored the data directory on server b from an old copy of the data directory at b.
So where did that old copy come from?
> short answer - from b itself (whatever was created right after installation).
> long answer - 2008 servers at a and b. postgres 9.3s at a and b. added databases to postgres-a (postgres-b is empty/new). shutdown postgres-a and b. copied data-a and b to a network shared between server-a and b. deleted data-b on server-b. copied data-a from network to server-b.
> restarted postgres-a and postgres-b. postgres-a succeeds. postgres-b fails.
> so deleted data on server-b. restored data-b from network ("old copy") to server-b. restarted postgres-b. postgres-b still fails.