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I am attempting to install Postgres 9.3 on Ubuntu 14.04 and I am getting an irksome error on startup. Here's what I'm seeing:

$ sudo service postgresql restart
* Restarting PostgreSQL 9.3 database server
* Error: could not exec /usr/lib/postgresql/9.3/bin/pg_ctl /usr/lib/postgresql/9.3/bin/pg_ctl start -D /var/lib/postgresql/9.3/main -l /var/log/postgresql/postgresql-9.3-main.log -s -o  -c config_file="/etc/postgresql/9.3/main/postgresql.conf" : [fail]

So I checked the log file with this output:

 2015-01-05 21:50:05 EST LOG:  database system was shut down at 2015-01-05 21:50:03 EST
 2015-01-05 21:50:05 EST LOG:  database system is ready to accept connections
 2015-01-05 21:50:05 EST LOG:  autovacuum launcher started
 2015-01-05 21:50:06 EST LOG:  incomplete startup packet
 2015-01-05 21:51:22 EST ERROR:  syntax error at or near "exit" at character 1
 2015-01-05 21:51:22 EST STATEMENT:  exit;

"Incomplete startup packet" seems to be the culprit but I am having trouble finding info out there on what might be going on, so I thought I would ask. Thanks in advance.

share|improve this question
    
perhaps there is a syntax error in your config file? -c config_file="/etc/postgresql/9.3/main/postgresql.conf" – Craig Efrein Jan 6 '15 at 9:05
1  
If a client connects but doesn't send the proper protocol handshake you'll get this message. All sorts of possible causes - Attempted SSL connections to servers that don't support SSL being one of the most common. It's harmless and may be ignored; it's only logged at ERROR level because it results in a backend exit. – Craig Ringer Jan 6 '15 at 9:06
up vote 8 down vote accepted

There are 3 different items in this question:

  • Incomplete startup packet occuring at server start is inconsequential, you may ignore it. Read Incomplete startup packet help needed (in pgsql-general mailing-list) for more.

  • syntax error at or near "exit" at character 1 means that a client issued exit as if it was an SQL statement.

  • The could not exec error when issuing service postgresql restart looks like a serious installation problem but it's contradicted by the log entry database system is ready to accept connections meaning that the server started up just fine.

share|improve this answer
    
Your response "looks like a serious installation problem" prompted me to do some more research on how to entirely delete Postgres and reinstall. I found this article which was helpful in removing every trace of Postgres prior to reinstall and worked great. – andrewniesen Jan 6 '15 at 13:45
    
one of the possible causes of "Incomplete startup packet" is when a TCP connection is made to the postgresql port 5432, and the immediately closed. This can happen when a monitoring program is configured to check the port, but not to run a SQL command. – Tom H May 1 at 1:03

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