* Download the RPMs form the PostgreSQL mirror closest to you (list at http://www.postgresql.org/sites.html)
The RPMs come split into separate packages so you can install only what you need. Download the packages:
postgresql-7.xxx.i386.rpm
postgresql-devel-7.xxx.i386.rpm
postgresql-server-7.xxx.i386.rpm
postgresql-test-7.xxx.i386.rpm (for the regression tests).
(if you want pgaccess, PostgreSQL graphical tool, also install postgresql-tk-7.xxx.i386.rpm)
* Install them in the sequence above, with the command: (as root)
rpm -ivh postgresql-xxx.i386.rpm
If it asks for dependency packages, install them from the CD or after downloading them (from rpm.net for example).
The RPM packages will very nicely create the postgres user and group, set the environment variables, install the documentation and other goodies for you. Cozy huh ? Thank Lamar Owens for that.
* Then start the database server with the command:
/etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql start
If everything went fine, you should be able to, as user postgres, create a database and connect to it through psql:
su - postgres
createdb mydb
psql mydb
* The DEB packages come split into separate packages so you can install only what you need.
As root, fire up dselect and go into "Select".
Do a " / postgresql " to search for postgresql packages. Search again by pressing "\"
Mark for installation (by pressing +) the following packages:
postgresql
postgresql-pl
postgresql-client
postgresql-dev
postgresql-doc
postgresql-test
(if you want pgaccess, PostgreSQL graphical tool also install the package pgaccess)
Then hit "Enter" to get out of dselect and go into "Install".
That's it. It should download, install and start the server for you. Hard huh ? Thanks to Oliver Elphick for providing these packages.
* If the setup process doesn't start the server, you can start it with: (as root)
/etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql start
* If everything went fine, you should be able to, as user postgres, create a database and connect to it through psql:
su - postgres
createdb mydb
psql mydb