PostgreSQL 10 Does Not Start Under Ubuntu 18.04

From the result of apt list --installed you don't have a PostgreSQL 10 server actually installed.

The name of the package is exactly postgresql-10 : https://packages.ubuntu.com/bionic/database/postgresql-10 . You should install that package.

The lack of error of systemctl and the fact that a postgresql service does exist are confusing: it's because postgresql is an "umbrella" service that launches every postgresql instance installed and configured. In your case you currently have zero such instance, but that's fine as far as the postgresql service is concerned. In the most general case, you may have several different versions of PostgreSQL running concurrently (from different packages postgresql-<version>), and several instances of the same version too (from the same package).

I'd suggest to check your PostgreSQL instances with pg_lsclusters rather than systemctl. See also pg_ctlcluster to control them.

Just use

service postgresql@10-main start

and it works. Don't know exactly why this happens in 18.04 only (I verified 17.10 and it doesn't happen there), but the 'umbrella' seems unable to enumerate the installed instances.

HTH,

05/13/2018

DISCLAIMER: This is for postgresql 10 and ubuntu 18.04, and may or may not work for other versions. PS: If you have been tampering with the language settings lately, please tell me, because there may be a connection with the postgres failure

Yesterday I was having the exact same problem, and nobody on the entire internet could help me, so I went rogue... And it worked!

First and foremost, if you have any database with data you are interested in keeping, I cant help you there; you will have to figure out a way to backup all your data.

Now onto the actual steps (this is exactly what I did, the steps between [ ] you may skip):

sudo apt remove --purge postgres*
[ sudo apt remove --purge pg* ]
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt autoclean
sudo apt clean
[ sudo find / -name "*postgres*" -type f -delete ] -> this may delete any backups

Now make sure you have this line in /etc/apt/sources.list

deb http://cz.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu bionic main

If you don't, just add it... Lets continue:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install -y postgresql-10 postgresql-contrib postgresql-client
[ sudo apt install -y postgresql-server pgadmin3 ] -> this you may need for metasploit
[ sudo reboot ]

Now you have to check if the necessary directories were created:
/etc/postgresql/10/main -> config files
/usr/lib/postgresql/10/bin -> scripts & executables
/var/run/postgresql -> temporary files
/var/lib/postgresql/10/main -> folders

If any of those don't exist, I cant help you. You also need to make sure the user postgres exists Lets continue:

sudo chown root /usr/lib/postgresql -R
sudo chgrp root /usr/lib/postgresql -R
sudo chmod 755 /usr/lib/postgresql -R

Now go edit /etc/environment and add this to the PATH: /usr/lib/postgresql/10/bin

sudo chown postgres /etc/postgresql -R
sudo chgrp postgres /etc/postgresql -R
sudo chmod 700 /etc/postgresql -R

sudo echo "" > /etc/postgresql/10/main/postgresql.log
sudo chown postgresql /etc/postgresql/10/main/postgresql.log
sudo chgrp postgresql /etc/postgresql/10/main/postgresql.log
sudo chmod 700 /etc/postgresql/10/main/postgresql.log

sudo mkdir /var/run/postgresql/10-main.pg_stat_tmp
sudo chown postgres /var/run/postgresql/10-main.pg_stat_tmp -R
sudo chgrp postgres /var/run/postgresql/10-main.pg_stat_tmp -R
sudo chmod 700 /var/run/postgresql/10-main.pg_stat_tmp -R

---

Create /var/lib/postgresql/.bashrc and write this to it

shopt -s histappend
HISTSIZE=1000
HISTFILESIZE=2000
shopt -s checkwinsize
case "$TERM" in
    xterm-color|*-256color) color_prompt=yes;;
esac
force_color_prompt=yes
if [ -n "$force_color_prompt" ]; then
    if [ -x /usr/bin/tput ] && tput setaf 1 >&/dev/null; then
    color_prompt=yes
    else
    color_prompt=
    fi
fi 
if [ "$color_prompt" = yes ]; then
    PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\[\033[01;32m\]\u@\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ '
else
    PS1='${debian_chroot:+($debian_chroot)}\u@\h:\w\$ '
fi
unset color_prompt force_color_prompt
if [ -x /usr/bin/dircolors ]; then
    test -r ~/.dircolors && eval "$(dircolors -b ~/.dircolors)" || eval "$(dircolors -b)"
    alias ls='ls --color=auto'
    alias grep='grep --color=auto'
    alias fgrep='fgrep --color=auto'
    alias egrep='egrep --color=auto'
fi
alias ll='ls -alF'
alias la='ls -A'
alias l='ls -CF'
if ! shopt -oq posix; then
  if [ -f /usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion ]; then
    . /usr/share/bash-completion/bash_completion
  elif [ -f /etc/bash_completion ]; then
    . /etc/bash_completion
  fi
fi
source /etc/environment

And then:

sudo chown postgresql /var/lib/postgresql/.bashrc
sudo chgrp postgresql /var/lib/postgresql/.bashrc
sudo chmod 664 /var/lib/postgresql/.bashrc
[ sudo reboot ]

---

And now for the final part:

sudo su
su postgres

To start postgresql:

pg_ctl start -D /etc/postgresql/10/main -l /etc/postgresql/10/main/postgresql.log

To end it:

kill $(cat /var/run/postgresql/10-main.pid)

Basic configuration (enter the postgresql interpreter):

psql

\du+ -> list postgresql users
\l -> list postgresql databases
createuser and dropuser -> self explanatory
createdb and dropdb -> self explanatory

---

EXTRA: METASPLOIT

If anyone reading this needs postgresql for metasploit, you can follow this link (its for 16.04 but works fine in 18.04), there is a mistake however: At some point, you will need to run this:
rvm --default use ruby-${RUBY_VERSION}@metasploit-framework gem pristine --all Instead of the suggested:
rvm --default use ruby-${RUByVERSION}@metasploit-framework

Furthermore, if you run into trouble with the ruby bundle install part, this command may save your life: gem pristine --all