Forgive my stupidity, are you running PostgreSQL with the data on an NFS 
share?


D'Arcy J.M. Cain wrote:

>I have posted before about this but I am now posting to both NetBSD and 
>PostgreSQL since it seems to be some sort of interaction between the two.  I 
>have a NetAPP filer on which I am putting a PostgreSQL database.  I run 
>PostgreSQL on a NetBSD box.  I used rsync to get the database onto the filer 
>with no problem whatsoever but as soon as I try to open the database the NFS 
>mount hangs and I can't do any operations on that mounted drive without 
>hanging.  Other things continue to run but the minute I do a df or an ls on 
>that drive that terminal is lost.
>
>On the NetBSD side I get a "server not responding" error.  On the filer I see 
>no problems at all.  A reboot of the filer doesn't correct anything.
>
>Since NetBSD works just fine with this until I start PostgreSQL and 
>PostgreSQL, from all reports, works well with the NetApp filer, I assume that 
>there is something out of the ordinary about PostgreSQL's disk access that is 
>triggering some subtle bug in NetBSD.  Does the shared memory stuff use disk 
>at all?  Perhaps that's the difference between PostgreSQL and other 
>applications.
>
>The NetApp people are being very helpful and are willing to follow up any 
>leads people might have and may even suggest fixes if necessary.  I have 
>Bcc'd the engineer on this message and will send anything I get to them.
>
>  
>