Re: odd buildfarm failure - "pg_ctl: control file appears to be corrupt"

Hi, Thomas!

On 14.02.2023 06:38, Anton A. Melnikov wrote:
> Also i did several experiments with fsync=on and found more appropriate behavior:
> The stress test with sizeof(ControlFileData) = 512+8 = 520 bytes failed in a 4,5 hours,
> but the other one with ordinary sizeof(ControlFileData) = 296 not crashed in more than 12 hours.

Nonetheless it crashed after 18 hours:

2023-02-13 18:07:21.476 MSK [7640] LOG:  starting PostgreSQL 16devel, compiled by Visual C++ build 1929, 64-bit
2023-02-13 18:07:21.483 MSK [7640] LOG:  listening on IPv6 address "::1", port 5432
2023-02-13 18:07:21.483 MSK [7640] LOG:  listening on IPv4 address "127.0.0.1", port 5432
2023-02-13 18:07:21.556 MSK [1940] LOG:  database system was shut down at 2023-02-13 18:07:12 MSK
2023-02-13 18:07:21.590 MSK [7640] LOG:  database system is ready to accept connections
@@@@@@@@@@@@@ sizeof(ControlFileData) = 296
2023-02-13 18:12:21.545 MSK [9532] LOG:  checkpoint starting: time
2023-02-13 18:12:21.583 MSK [9532] LOG:  checkpoint complete: wrote 3 buffers (0.0%); 0 WAL file(s) added, 0 removed, 0 recycled; write=0.003 s, sync=0.009 s, total=0.038 s; sync files=2, longest=0.005 s, average=0.005 s; distance=0 kB, estimate=0 kB; lsn=0/17AC388, redo lsn=0/17AC350
2023-02-14 12:12:21.738 MSK [8676] ERROR:  calculated CRC checksum does not match value stored in file
2023-02-14 12:12:21.738 MSK [8676] CONTEXT:  SQL statement "SELECT pg_control_system()"
	PL/pgSQL function inline_code_block line 1 at PERFORM
2023-02-14 12:12:21.738 MSK [8676] STATEMENT:  do $$ begin loop perform pg_control_system(); end loop; end; $$;


So all of the following is incorrect:

> Seems in that case the behavior corresponds to msdn.  So if it is possible
> to use fsync() under windows when the GUC fsync is off it maybe a solution
> for this problem. If so there is no need to lock the pg_control file under windows at all.

and cannot be a solution.


Sincerely yours,

-- 
Anton A. Melnikov
Postgres Professional: http://www.postgrespro.com
The Russian Postgres Company