Postgresql initial configuration: How to access as the postgres user?

Question

After installing postgresql, I tried it out, typing createdb mydb, like it's written in the documentation. Then the following error occured:

createdb: could not connect to database postgres: FATAL:  role "xxx" does not exist

I studied the documentation, where is said:

You will need to become the operating system user under which PostgreSQL was installed (usually postgres) to create the first user account

I tried this by accessing psql (in my case with sudo -u postgres psql, using Ubuntu 12.10). But then what should I do?

have you created a user for your database ? (not pstgres which is the superuser) — Stephane Rolland, Mar 26 '13 at 15:53
What happens when you just "su - postgres" to become the postgres user, and then try "createdb"? — thisfeller, Mar 26 '13 at 15:54

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 26 '13 at 15:54

1

if the db is owned by user postgres you can do the following

createdb -U postgres dbname

since by default postgresql will trust connections from localhost.

answered Mar 26 '13 at 15:54

Doon

Not working.. Resolving to: createdb: could not connect to database postgres: FATAL: Peer authentication failed for user "postgres" – Sascha Mayr Mar 26 '13 at 16:02
1

hmm I am guessing whatever you used to install the server modified the default config to not trust. try `sudo su - postgres` and then run the createdb. not sure – Doon Mar 26 '13 at 16:05

1ac0 · Answer 2 · 2013-03-26T16:39:14.070

0

su - postgres

and after you have been logged in:

createdb mydb

edited Mar 26 '13 at 16:39

answered Mar 26 '13 at 15:54

1ac0

su - postgresql gives me following output: Unknown id:postgresql – Sascha Mayr Mar 26 '13 at 16:03
su - postgres is the user. – thisfeller Mar 26 '13 at 16:07
@SaschaMayr sorry, my typo, try `su - postgres` (without ql at the end), my answer edited – 1ac0 Mar 26 '13 at 16:39

2 Answers2