Thread: How to pg_dumpall without root password

Hi,

I am the new sysadmin and was given the task to move a postgresql
installation from one box to another. So I want to do pg_dumpall .

However, there is no record of postgresql superuser/root password. I
do have root access to the system however.

Does anyone have a suggestion on what I should do?

Dat Chu <dattanchu@gmail.com> writes:
> I am the new sysadmin and was given the task to move a postgresql
> installation from one box to another. So I want to do pg_dumpall .

> However, there is no record of postgresql superuser/root password. I
> do have root access to the system however.

Edit pg_hba.conf to allow local "trust" access.  SIGHUP or restart
postmaster.  Connect as postgres user and set password as you see fit.
Restore the previous pg_hba.conf settings (and SIGHUP again).

If you're worried about having the system insecure even transiently
against local bad guys, it's possible to do this without opening any
hole, but it requires taking the DB down for a few minutes so you can
do the password change in standalone mode.

            regards, tom lane

* Tom Lane (tgl@sss.pgh.pa.us) wrote:
> If you're worried about having the system insecure even transiently
> against local bad guys, it's possible to do this without opening any
> hole, but it requires taking the DB down for a few minutes so you can
> do the password change in standalone mode.

An alternative to 'trust' might be to change pg_hba.conf to use 'ident'
over a local socket (on systems which support that).  You'd need to know
the superuser name (usually 'postgres') and either become that user on
the unix side or set up an ident map from whatever user you want to
be...

    Thanks,

        Stephen