Recover postgreSQL databases from raw physical files

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I have the following problem and I need to know if there´s a way to fix it.

I have a client who was cheap enough to decline buying a backup plan for his postgreSQL databases on the main system that runs his company and as I thought it would happen some day, some OS files crashed during a blackout and the OS needs to be reinstalled.

This client didn't have any backups of the databases but I managed to save the PostgreSQL main directory. I read that the databases are stored somehow inside the data directory of the postgres main folder.

My question is: Is there any way to recover the databases from the data folder only? I am working in a windows environment (XP service pack 2) with PostgreSQL 8.2 and I need to reinstall PostgreSQL in a new server. I would need to recreate the databases in the new environment and somehow attach the old files to the new database instances. I know that's possible in SQL Server because of the way that engine stores the databases but I have no clue in postgres.

Any ideas? They would be much appreciated.

6 Answers

As shown by move database to another hard drive. All we need to do is to modify the registry table and file permissions. By modifying registry table(shown in image 1), postgresql server know the new location of data.

modify registry

modify registry

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