psql: FATAL 1: Permissions Denied error

[calypso13]

I installed PostgreSQL 7.4 on RedHat8, but I keep getting this error when I do "createdb testdb" or "createuser username".
I rebuilt postgresql but same thing. Then, I tried a fresh installation, still didnt work.


All directory permissions are set to 'postgres'

psql: FATAL 1: cannot open /var/lib/pgsql/data/global/1262: Permission denied
createuser: creation of user "notions" failed


thanks

 

[stoolpigeon]

Normally you would install postgresql and you need to make sure postgres owns the pgsql and data directories. You have to run initdb as postgres and initdb creates the stuff in data- so ownership there should be fine.

But in case something happened in between, start from that file, 1262, and work your way back up checking ownership. If postgres holds it all, I'm not sure.

This error has been brought up on the postgresql mailing list and the developers said to check permissions. I've tried duplicating the error here, and the only way I can do it is by changing ownership on the file.