Following up from my old guide to installing PostgreSQL (for Ubuntu 7.10), I thought i’d better do an update for the latest releases… 
This quick walk-through are my notes for installing the PostgreSQL database server and the PgAdmin administration application on Ubuntu Linux, and also set up the server so it allows access to other PC’s on your network.
Before we move on, this guide was tested on the current release of Ubuntu Linux, (8.04 - Hardy Heron) and PostgreSQL 8.3, but it should also be applicable to older versions (of Ubuntu and PostgreSQL) and other Debian based distros.
Right for the basic installation, at the command-line, enter the following commands (or search for the listed packages in synaptic if you prefer that way of working):
$ sudo apt-get install postgresql postgresql-client postgresql-contrib
$ sudo apt-get install pgadmin3
This installs the database server/client, some extra utility scripts and the pgAdmin GUI application for working with the database.
Now we need to reset the password for the ‘postgres’ admin account for the server, so we can use this for all of the system administration tasks. Type the following at the command-line (substitute in the password you want to use for your administrator account):
$ sudo su postgres -c psql template1
template1=# ALTER USER postgres WITH PASSWORD ‘password’;
template1=# \q
That alters the password for within the database, now we need to do the same for the unix user ‘postgres’:
$ sudo passwd -d postgres
$ sudo su postgres -c passwd
Now enter the same password that you used previously.
Then, from here on in we can use both pgAdmin and command-line access (as the postgres user) to run the database server. But before you jump into pgAdmin we should set-up the PostgreSQL admin pack that enables better logging and monitoring within pgAdmin. Run the following at the command-line:
$ sudo su postgres -c psql < /usr/share/postgresql/8.3/contrib/adminpack.sql
Finally, we need to open up the server so that we can access and use it remotely - unless you only want to access the database on the local machine. To do this, first, we need to edit the postgresql.conf file:
$ sudo gedit /etc/postgresql/8.3/main/postgresql.conf
Now, to edit a couple of lines in the ‘Connections and Authentication’ section…
Change the line:
#listen_addresses = ‘localhost’
to
listen_addresses = ‘*’
and also change the line:
#password_encryption = on
to
password_encryption = on
Then save the file and close gedit.
Now for the final step, we must define who can access the server. This is all done using the pg_hba.conf file.[^1]
$ sudo gedit /etc/postgresql/8.3/main/pg_hba.conf
Comment out, or delete the current contents of the file, then add this text to the bottom of the file:
# DO NOT DISABLE! # If you change this first entry you will need to make sure that the # database # super user can access the database using some other method. # Noninteractive # access to all databases is required during automatic maintenance # (autovacuum, daily cronjob, replication, and similar tasks). # # Database administrative login by UNIX sockets local all postgres ident sameuser # TYPE DATABASE USER CIDR-ADDRESS METHOD # "local" is for Unix domain socket connections only local all all md5 # IPv4 local connections: host all all 127.0.0.1/32 md5 # IPv6 local connections: host all all ::1/128 md5 # Connections for all PCs on the subnet # # TYPE DATABASE USER IP-ADDRESS IP-MASK METHOD host all all [ip address] [subnet mask] md5
and in the last line, add in your subnet mask (i.e. 255.255.255.0) and the IP address of the machine that you would like to access your server (i.e. 138.250.192.115). However, if you would like to enable access to a range of IP addresses, just substitute the last number for a zero and all machines within that range will be allowed access (i.e. 138.250.192.0 would allow all machines with an IP address 138.250.192.x to use the database server).
That’s it, now all you have to do is restart the server:
$ sudo /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.3 restart
And all should be working.
[^1]: The following advice can also be given to you (plus you don’t even need to figure out IP addresses and subnet masks) from the latest versions of pgAdmin (1.6.x). But it doesn’t hurt to know how things work.
very useful, worked like a charm, ty
thank you
Thanks a lot, very helpful and quick.
that’s a great job! Everything worked fine!
Hi, thanks for the guide here. It’s worked perfectly for me (much to my newbie-suprise).
I’m now wanting to install phppgadmin. I’ve referred to your previous guide for this, but it’s using an older version of Ubuntu.
Will the guide still work fine for Hardy?
Hi, glad everything worked well for you. As for phppgadmin, yep the install for Hardy is exactly the same as the previous guide and shouldn’t give you any problems.
Hi
Great work, clean and forward.
Thanks
Fantastic and quick. Thanks!
Thanks, short and sweet.
Hi,
Strange thing happens, I can login using pgAdmin but not through psql. Any advice? I love the command-line
Thanks for the guide. Worked perfectly for me too.
edit this line in /etc/postgresql/8.3/main/pg_hba.conf
change ident sameuser to md5
restart your postgresql
then try login to postgreql with psql -U ‘your username’ -W
then input your password
that method works for me
Hi thanks for the guide of install PostgreSQL in Ubuntu. This is quite big different with Install PostgreSQL in Fedora. Please visit my website if you want to see how the different between install PostgreSQL in fedora and ubuntu
For some one who is new to ubuntu and postgresql you made my life easy. Thanks is just a small tribute. world need more people like you.
Thank you a log. It’s very useful.
I’m sorry for the typo “log” (correct word: lot).
thx a lot. its very useful. I have tried it in ubuntu 7.10 and installed successfully. I use posgresql v8.2. keep the good work!
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Trying to install postgreSQL 8.2 on ubuntu 7.10
when typing:
$ sudo su postgres -c psql template1
I get:
psql: FATAL: database “postgres” does not exist
what is wrong ??
Hi,
Typing “sudo su postgres -c psql template1” brings up the prompt “postres=#”, not the expected “template1=#”. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks,
Hi Daz,
Many thanks for taking the time and effort to put this together with clarity and ease of understanding.
Simple and clear.
My time is not that precious, but thanks to you I saved a bunch of it…
On my system, restarting PostgreSQL with instruction:
$ sudo /etc/init.d/postgresql-8.3 restartdid not worked. Instead I had to reboot entire system and it is working fine now. Thank you for your tutorial.
Fist my appreciations in the way you helping people!!!
I use postgresql in combination with webmin.
I use postgresql 8.2 because according to the information I get from “Googling” edition 8.3 seems not good working with sql-ledger-software, which I am using now.
When I try to get in Posgresql database-server I get following error:
SQL select * from pg_database order by datname failed : missing or erroneous pg_hba.conf file.
Here under I give you the pg_hba.conf file, which I have modified according to your instructions.
Last line in config I did not add because I am using local host; I hope I do the right thing with this?
I hope you can help me out of this.
I changed above former one in MD5 and add linux users line
Again thanks for your specious time for this.
Greetings
Frans van der Star
Now: Malaysia
after two weeks the Netherlands
Good day,
Sorry but this file maybe usefull to you also:
I try to do password for template1 but I have the idea, password not changed.
Here is the result:
$ sudo su postgres -c psql template1 Welcome to psql 8.2.7, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal. Type: \copyright for distribution terms \h for help with SQL commands \? for help with psql commands \g or terminate with semicolon to execute query \q to quit postgres=# template1=# ALTER USER postgres WITH PASSWORD 'frans148' postgres-# \qHi,
Sorry for the slow reply.
It looks like the semi-colon (;) is missing from the end of the ‘ALTER USER’ command - without this it will not run. Try adding a semi-colon to the end of the command and running it again, does this help?
Daz
Hi mine doesn’t work well. I can ping with my windows system to my linux server but i cant acces the database with pgadmin3. I get the error that the server doens’t listen. I have un-installed ubuntu many times and try’d this tut again and again and get the same error the hole time. Do i need to forward some ports in my router or so?
hope anybody have some tips for me
greets johan de kok
Thanks a bunch for the info, it’s been really helpful.
Now, I have encountered two minor problems so far:
1) The postgres server doesn’t automatically load when I restart Linux. I have to run the command “/etc/init.d/postgresql-8.3 start” every time and it’s kind or annoying.
2) When I use the command “sudo su postgres -c psql template1” I get sent to the postgres database. If I try using another user, i.e., if I type the command “sudo su username -c psql dbname”, I get the following error message: “psql: FATAL: database “username” does not exist”.
Any help with either of these issues would be appreciated, especially number 1).
Have a day,
izzy dead?
Works fine for me. Thank you!
Thanks for this explantation. It worked like a charm - im happy with linux again
I have successfully install postgreSQL
But to use that in c language I require header files regarding postgre
like postgre.h so how to add that in include directory
Thank you very much, it was very useful.
Great…Very Useful
Thank you
Thanks a lot!
This is the only working tutorial I’ve found
works like a charm! good tutorial
thx, good tutorial, I can start postgreSQL.
Вот так,согласен с предыдущими блоггерами
^..^
I have been fighting with Postresql for over a week. This fix is now safely bookmarked. Thanks for such a clear and straight forward tute.
Да,несогласен с предыдущими неудачниками
Споки
Thank you - text simple but very helpful. Regards!
Hi, i get a message like ..
reading package lists … done
building dependency tree
reading state information… done
E: Couldn’t find package pgadmin3
with postgres it is the same … internet is working …
any advice ??
For those of you who cannot get the restart to work, it’s because you are not doing the restart as root.
Type “sudo -i” and hit enter.
Type “/etc/init.d/postgresql-8.3 restart” and hit enter.
This worked for Ubuntu Hardy - thanks for the guide.
@Ben Sounds like it could be a problem with apt talking to the servers - is it still the same now?
I’m newbie and I can’t connect via PGAdmin! What is the default user and password in Postgre? And how to know that PG services is running?
Hi @fallenangel there is no default account in PostgreSQL (except the ‘postgres’ admin account), you should really set yourself one up. Details on how you can do that are here. If you want to use the ‘postgres’ account, you can reset it’s password (and give it a new one) using the following commands:
To check if PostgreSQL is running, try the following command:
You should get lines with ‘postmaster’ in them if the server is running.
Hope that helps!
I did all instruction. After I run pgadmin3 and I see no server in GUI. Do I miss something?
Hi ariza, this is normal. You need to configure the connections to the database yourself using the user details that you have set up.
A+!
Worked perfectly.
Very useful guide. I haven’t used Linux in awhile and this got me started with my PostgresSQL install very nicely! Job well done.
I forgot to mention that i am using ubuntu 8.10 and the postgresql is 8.3
Good! it works like a magic. compact and complete article~
Can’t thank you enough! Couple of minor changes required, but works a charm.