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
– Stephane Rolland, Commented Mar 26, 2013 at 15:53
What happens when you just "su - postgres" to become the postgres user, and then try "createdb"? — thisfeller
– thisfeller, Commented Mar 26, 2013 at 15:54

Doon · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-26 15:54:25Z

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, 2013 at 15:54

Doon

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2 Comments

Sascha Mayr Over a year ago

Not working.. Resolving to: createdb: could not connect to database postgres: FATAL: Peer authentication failed for user "postgres"

Doon Over a year ago

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

1ac0 · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-26 16:39:14Z

0

su - postgres

and after you have been logged in:

createdb mydb

edited Mar 26, 2013 at 16:39

answered Mar 26, 2013 at 15:54

1ac0

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3 Comments

Sascha Mayr Over a year ago

su - postgresql gives me following output: Unknown id:postgresql

thisfeller Over a year ago

su - postgres is the user.

1ac0 Over a year ago

@SaschaMayr sorry, my typo, try su - postgres (without ql at the end), my answer edited

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