gpinitsystem Fails with "Instance directory exists on segment instance"

Products

• VMware Tanzu Greenplum

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

gpinitsystem fails with error:

"[FATAL]-Instance directory /datax/primary/gpsegx exists on segment instance sdwx-x"

 

Environment

Cause

An attempt is being made to do a reinstall of GPDB without cleaning up all of the data directories on all segments.

 

Resolution

First, confirm that the customer has already backed up the data or no longer needs the data on the segments. Then clear all subdirectories under the /data1/primary, /data1/mirror, /data2/primary, /data2/mirror directories on all of the segments.