Failed to start PostgreSQL Cluster 10-main when booting - postgresql

Question

when I try to boot Ubuntu, it never finishes the boot process because it appears the message "Failed to start PostgreSQL Cluster 10-main." I also get the same message with 9.5-main. But lets focus on 10.
When I execute:
systemctl status postgresql#10-main.service
I get the following message:
postgresql#10-main.service - PostgreSQL Cluster 10-main
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/postgresql#.service; indirect; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: failed (Result: protocol) since Wed 2020-02-19 17:57:22 CET; 30 min ago
Process: 1602 ExecStart=/usr/bin/pg_ctlcluster --skip-systemctl-redirect 10-main start (code_exited, status=1/FAILURE)
PC_info systemd[1]: Starting PostgreSQL Cluster 10-main...
PC_info postgresql#10-main[1602]: Error: /usr/lib/postgresql/10/bin/pg_ctl /usr/lib/postgresql/10/bin/pg_ctl start -D /var/lib/postgresql/10/main -l /var/log/postgresql/postgresql-19-main.log -s -o -c config_file="/etc/postgresql/10/main/postgresql.conf" exit with status 1:
PC_info systemd[1]: postgresql#10-main.service: Can't open PID file /var/run/postgresql/10-main.pid (yet?) after start: No such file or directory
PC_info systemd[1]: postgresql#10-main.service: Failed with result 'protocol'.
PC_info systemd[1]: Failed to start PostgreSQL Cluster 10-main.
PC_info is information about my computer (user, date..) not relevant
I got this error from one day to an other without touching anything related to Database Servers.
I tried to fix it by my self but nothing worked
Writing the command
service postgresql#10-main start
I get
Job for postgresql#10-main.service failed because the service did not take the steps required by its unit configuration
See "systemctl status postgresql#10-main.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
Running this two command I get the message from the beginning.
Anyone has an idea of what is happening? How I can fix it?

Answer 1

I had same issue, I followed below steps,
Error status :
pg_lsclusters
Ver Cluster Port Status Owner Data directory Log file
10 main 5432 down postgres /var/lib/postgresql/10/main
/var/log/postgresql/postgresql-10-main.log
Applied Solution :
sudo chmod 700 -R /var/lib/postgresql/10/main
sudo -i -u postgres
postgres#abc:~$ /usr/lib/postgresql/10/bin/pg_ctl restart -D /var/lib/postgresql/10/main
After Solution status :
pg_lsclusters
Ver Cluster Port Status Owner Data directory Log file
10 main 5432 online postgres /var/lib/postgresql/10/main
/var/log/postgresql/postgresql-10-main.log

Answer 2

as mentioned by #gruentee in comment above,
/usr/lib/postgresql/10/bin/pg_ctl restart -D /var/lib/postgresql/10/main -l /var/log/postgresql/postgresql-10-main.log -s -o '-c config_file="/etc/postgresql/10/main/postgresql.conf"'
started the postgresSql DB. Dont forget to
sudo -i -u postgres
before issuing above command

Answer 3

I was facing the same challenge, I try a lot of methods but none work for me till I try these commands below
sudo apt-get -y install postgresql
sudo systemctl start postgresql#15-main.service
pg_lsclusters
then everything started working fine, but please the version of postgresql i'm using is 15 that's you are seeing 15 in the second command so in your case you substitute it with the version you are using