PostgreSQL not starting after upgrade from v2.1 to v2.3

[matthieumarrast]

While starting mfbase after upgrade from v2.1 to 2.3, the mfbase status returns errors, the postgresql engine does not start:

- Waiting PostgreSQL...                                    [ ERROR ] (timeout)
- Testing postgresql access...                             [ ERROR ]

The log/postgresql.log shows:

2026-04-15 14:22:19.328 UTC [3803] FATAL:  database files are incompatible with server
2026-04-15 14:22:19.328 UTC [3803] DETAIL:  The data directory was initialized by PostgreSQL version 14, which is not compatible with this version 17.5.

How to reproduce:

# start mfbase 2.1 container
docker run -it --rm  --name mfbase metwork/mfbase-rocky9:2.1.7 bash
# start mfbase
su - mfbase
mfbase.start
# postgresql "data dir" v14 is initialized automatically (~/var/pgsql/)
# check status, everything is OK
mfbase.status
# uninstall mfbase 2.1
mfbase.stop
exit
yum remove -y metwork-mfbase
# edit metwork.repo - replace 2.1 by 2.3
sed -i 's/2.1/2.3/g' /etc/yum.repos.d/metwork.repo
# install mfbase 2.3
yum install -y metwork-mfbase
# start mfbase 2.3
su - mfbase
mfbase.start
# ERRORS are shown
  # - Waiting PostgreSQL...                                    [ ERROR ] (timeout)
  # - Testing postgresql access...                             [ ERROR ]
# check log ~/log/postgresql.log
  # 2026-04-15 14:22:19.328 UTC [3803] FATAL:  database files are incompatible with server
  # 2026-04-15 14:22:19.328 UTC [3803] DETAIL:  The data directory was initialized by PostgreSQL version 14, which is not compatible with this version 17.5.
# we cannot use mfbase 2.3 :-(

How it was working before, example upgrading from v1.0 to v2.3:

# start mfbase 1.0 container (based on rockylinux 8.10)
docker run -it --rm --name mfbase rockylinux/rockylinux:8.10
# install mfbase 1.0
printf "[metwork_release_1.0]\nname=Metwork Release Branch release_1.0\nbaseurl=http://metwork-framework.org/pub/metwork/releases/rpms/release_1.0/portable/\ngpgcheck=0\nenabled=1\nmetadata_expire=0\n" > /etc/yum.repos.d/metwork.repo
yum install -y metwork-mfbase
# start mfbase
su - mfbase
mfbase.start
# postgresql "data dir" v12 is initialized automatically (~/var/pgsql/)
# check status, everything is OK
mfbase.status
# uninstall mfbase 1.0
mfbase.stop
exit
yum remove -y metwork-mfbase
# edit metwork.repo - replace 1.0 by 2.3
sed -i 's/1.0/2.3/g' /etc/yum.repos.d/metwork.repo
# install mfbase 2.3
yum install -y metwork-mfbase
# start mfbase 2.3
su - mfbase
mfbase.start
# postgresql "data dir" v17.5 is initialized automatically (~/var/pgsql/)
mfbase.status
# everything is OK
# we can use mfbase 2.3 ! :-D

Analysis:

While uninstalling version 1.0, the postgresql data dir (v12) is moved to /home/mfbase.rpmsave.../var/pgsql with the saved HOME DIR, so when installing v2.3, the postgresql data dir (/home/mfbase/var/pgsql/) does not exist and is initiliaized automatically in version v17.5. Everything is OK ! mfbase upgraded to v2.3 with postgreSQL v17.5 working fine. The data dir v14 from v1.0 has been saved.

While uninstalling version 2.1, the HOME DIR is kept, so the postgresql data dir (v14) remains on /home/mfbase/var/pgsql so when installing v2.3, as a postgresql data dir already exists on /home/mfbase/var/pgsql/ a new data dir is not initialized in version v17.5.... postgreSQL v17.5 try to starts with a data dir v14, which is not possible ! mfbase is not working !

This appears to be a regression.

Workaround:
Execute a manual mfbase.init after upgrade to 2.3, before starting mfbase.

Proposed solution:
Remove the postgresql data dir /home/mfbase/var/pgsql/ while uninstalling mfbase, it is already saved on /home/mfbase.rpmsave.../var/pgsql.

[thebaptiste]

I am quite circumspect regarding the proposed solution.
I am afraid that this could lead to lose the base while upgrading from 2.3.2 to 2.3.3 (for example) while the workaround is rather simple and could be easily add in the upgrade procedure.
There's always an "uninstall" somewhere in an "upgrade". If the removing of the base is only done in the "last uninstall", I hope (but I'm not completely sure) it should work but are you sure that an upgrade from a minor version to another will never be done by a removal followed by an install ?
I'm afraid "the cure could be worse than the disease".

[thebaptiste]

I propose another way to fix. In mfbase.start :
Replace :

    DIR_INIT="pgsql
    if ! test -d ${MFMODULE_RUNTIME_HOME}/var/${DIR_INIT}; then
        mfbase.init
   fi

By (adding an else) :

    DIR_INIT="pgsql"
    if ! test -d ${MFMODULE_RUNTIME_HOME}/var/${DIR_INIT}; then
        mfbase.init
    else
       # In case of the presence of var/pgsql initialized by a previous PostGreSQL version
        OLD_PG_VERSION=`cat ${MFMODULE_RUNTIME_HOME}/var/${DIR_INIT}/PG_VERSION`
        NEW_PG_VERSION=`psql --version | cut -d" " -f 3 | cut -d"." -f 1`
        if [[ "$OLD_PG_VERSION" != "$NEW_PG_VERSION" ]]; then
            mfbase.init
        fi
    fi

Could you test ?

[thebaptiste]

• All is done when starting the new mfbase, no need to fix the uninstallation of the previous releases
• mfbase.init only if the major version of PostGreSQL has change