Change postgresql data directory location

Question

Currenly my postgresql service running with

/usr/local/psql/bin/postmaster -d /usr/local/pgsql/data

Due to insufficient disk space (data directory having 10GB of data), I planned to do the following steps:

Step1:

service postgresql stop

Step2:

mkdir -p /newdisk/newdata
chown postgres:postgres /newdisk/newdata

Step 3:

Change PGDATA path in /etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql file

From

PGDATA=/usr/local/pgsql/data

To

PGDATA=/newdisk/newdata

Step 4:

initdb -D /newdisk/newdata
service postgresql start

If I do above steps, expecting 10GB data will be moved to /newdisk/newdata path and henceforth, new transactions will be stored in /newdisk/newdata path.

This approach is fine to proceed? or do I need to consider anything else?

(Using Postgresql 9.1)

Answer 1

in Your way, also EXPORT PGDATA=/newdisk/newdata

but also You can move all files to the new disk, and mount this disk to old PGDATA path (if all disk for PGSQL only)

Edit your /etc/fstab:
/dev/disk_name /usr/local/psql/data auto defaults 1 2

• RBB: thanks for the replay. I will try yours. can I move the /usr/local/psql/data to /data (will do the startup parameter change accordingly in /etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql). Will it impact anything?