Restore Lion Server Postgres database only from Time Machine Backup

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Restore Lion Server Postgres database only from Time Machine Backup

I just transferred our server from one box to another, and in the process, seem to have dumped our Postgres Caldav database, but not to a file, so it's gone. I know have no calendars and no way to access them. I do have a recent Time Machine backup of the server, but am not sure how to get my calendar data back so I can properly export it. Honestly, I'm not that sure how to properly export it either once I have it back. I'm afraid the previous postgres dump command I use will just do the same thing. Anyone have experience in the matter? Thanks!

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Apr 23, 2012 9:54 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 23, 2012 10:23 AM in response to woz.was

I do have a recent Time Machine backup of the server, but am not sure how to get my calendar data back so I can properly export it.

If you have access to your backup, can you look in this location: /Library/Server/PostgreSQL/Backup

Do you see any files in here?

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Answer 2

woz.was Author

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Apr 23, 2012 10:31 AM in response to Jonathan Melville

Yes! It has a dumpall.psql created on the day of the backup. So i can restore to that, and all my caldav data should be back? My fear is that it will replace good information that's new since that backup. Is there a way to know exactly what's in that backup file?

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Answer 3

Apr 23, 2012 10:36 AM in response to woz.was

All I know about that file is it's used (I think) by TM when restoring from a TM backup. I don't know anything else about it unfortunately.

seem to have dumped our Postgres Caldav database, but not to a file, so it's gone.

I don't get it... SQL dumps are nothing but raw text files with SQL statements that will restore your database. You had to have dumped it to a file somewhere that was specified as a path when you entered the command in terminal.

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Answer 4

woz.was Author

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Apr 23, 2012 10:38 AM in response to Jonathan Melville

Here's the command I ran, but can't find the file anywhere:

dropdb -U _postgres caldav

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Answer 5

Apr 23, 2012 10:49 AM in response to woz.was

I was helping you out with this in a thread last week: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3890595

In that thread I pointed you to Charle Edge's blog at Krypted where he goes into detail how to backup and restore your iCal database. I also told you this in my instructions:

These instructions assume that you have a backup of your caldav database sitting on your desktop, and it's called 'caldav.sql'.

So you we're supposed to make a backup of your database as the first thing that you do. dropdb wipes out your database completely, it doesn't restore it. You were supposed to make a backup of it first (instructions for this were at the link I gave you to Krypted).

Did you make a full backup of your server before you ran this command?

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Answer 6

woz.was Author

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Apr 23, 2012 11:00 AM in response to Jonathan Melville

I get that I wiped out my caldav database, the only backup I have is the Time Machine backup, which I assumed (realize now incorrectly) was enough. I appreciate your previous help, the link cleared up quite a bit. At this point I'm looking for a way to recreate my original database, then export that file and rebuild it on the new server.

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Answer 7

Apr 23, 2012 11:04 AM in response to woz.was

You're very welcome.

the only backup I have is the Time Machine backup, which I assumed (realize now incorrectly) was enough.

I'm not so sure. The dumpall file is used by Time Machine when restoring from a backup (again I think this is how it works. I don't use Time Machine for server backups so I'm not 100% sure, but I think that's right).

Maybe somebody else on here who has more experience with TM would be able to help you out from here.

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