can't authenticate pg admin

[Martin J. Brown, Jr.]

I've had this problem with 7.3.3, and now with 7.4.3. ...

The pg admin is the default 'postgres'. As 'postgres', I do...

***@localhost postgres $ 'psql -d template1'
Welcome to psql 7.4.3, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal.

template1=# alter user postgres password 'xyz'
template1=#

I exit 'psql'.

I then edit 'pg_hba.conf', changing from 'trust' to 'password'.
I stop, then start pg.

I then do 'psql -d template1', which results in a password prompt.
I enter 'xyz', and get an authentication error for user "postgres".

Other db users authenticate fine, only the admin fails.

Any ideas on how to fix this?

[Tom Lane]

Post by Martin J. Brown, Jr.
Other db users authenticate fine, only the admin fails.

That seems very odd. The only theory that comes to mind is that you've
set a password expiration time for that account in pg_shadow.

regards, tom lane

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[Martin J. Brown, Jr.]

Post by Tom Lane

Post by Martin J. Brown, Jr.
Other db users authenticate fine, only the admin fails.

That seems very odd. The only theory that comes to mind is that you've
set a password expiration time for that account in pg_shadow.

After double checking...

Yes, the pg admin, "postgres", fails authentication, and regular db users
don't even get asked to authenticate!!

'pg_hba.conf' shows:

local all all password

# IPv4-style local connections:
host all all 127.0.0.1 255.255.255.255 password

# IPv6-style local connections:
host all all ::1
ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff:ffff password


As for 'pg_shadow', never touched it.

In the process of trying to hunt down this problem, I've set "postgres"'s
pw numerous times. And the time from that to testing would've been less
than 30 seconds. A very short expiration, indeed.

Is there a way to check that the pw has actually been set (to anything)?
When I use 'alter user postgres with password 'abc'' within 'psql'and hit
enter, I get a new psql prompt, but no indication of whether the command
succeeded or failed. Is that normal?

From what I've read, 'pg_users' is a default view (doesn't need to be
created ?) on 'pg_shadow'. My newbie attempts to view this 'view' have
been unsuccessful. How do you view/use 'pg_users'?

Thank you.