How to Disable ARCHIVELOG Mode

Table of Contents

1. Verify Existing Archive Mode
2. Edit the archive settings
3. Restart PostgreSQL
4. Verify Current Mode
5. Verify WAL Archiving Behavior

1. Verify Existing Archive Mode

postgres=# SHOW archive_mode;
 archive_mode
--------------
 on  <------ 
(1 row)

postgres=#

postgres=# SHOW archive_command;
        archive_command
-------------------------------
 cp %p /pgArch/pgsql17/arch/%f  <----- 
(1 row)

postgres=#

2. Edit the archive settings

[postgres@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]$ cp /pgData/pgsql17/data/postgresql.conf /pgData/pgsql17/data/postgresql.conf.bkp_10sep2025
[postgres@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]$ vi /pgData/pgsql17/data/postgresql.conf

#archive_mode = on
#archive_command = 'cp %p /pgArch/pgsql17/arch/%f'

3. Restart PostgreSQL

[root@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]# systemctl stop postgresql-17.service
[root@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]#
[root@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]# systemctl start  postgresql-17.service
[root@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]#
[root@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]# systemctl status postgresql-17.service
● postgresql-17.service - PostgreSQL 17 database server
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/postgresql-17.service; enabled; preset: disabled)
     Active: active (running) since Thu 2025-10-09 16:34:01 +08; 3s ago
       Docs: https://www.postgresql.org/docs/17/static/
    Process: 3492 ExecStartPre=/usr/pgsql-17/bin/postgresql-17-check-db-dir ${PGDATA} (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
   Main PID: 3497 (postgres)
      Tasks: 7 (limit: 15835)
     Memory: 17.6M
        CPU: 92ms
     CGroup: /system.slice/postgresql-17.service
             ├─3497 /usr/pgsql-17/bin/postgres -D /pgData/pgsql17/data/
             ├─3498 "postgres: logger "
             ├─3499 "postgres: checkpointer "
             ├─3500 "postgres: background writer "
             ├─3502 "postgres: walwriter "
             ├─3503 "postgres: autovacuum launcher "
             └─3504 "postgres: logical replication launcher "

Oct 09 16:34:01 lxicbpgdsgv01.rajasekhar.com systemd[1]: Starting PostgreSQL 17 database server...
Oct 09 16:34:01 lxicbpgdsgv01.rajasekhar.com postgres[3497]: 2025-10-09 16:34:01.929 +08 [3497] LOG:  redirecting log output to logging collector process
Oct 09 16:34:01 lxicbpgdsgv01.rajasekhar.com postgres[3497]: 2025-10-09 16:34:01.929 +08 [3497] HINT:  Future log output will appear in directory "log".
Oct 09 16:34:01 lxicbpgdsgv01.rajasekhar.com systemd[1]: Started PostgreSQL 17 database server.
[root@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]#

4. Verify Current Mode

[postgres@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]$ psql
psql (17.6)
Type "help" for help.

postgres=# SHOW archive_mode;
 archive_mode
--------------
 off  <------ it's disabled
(1 row)

postgres=# SHOW archive_command;
 archive_command
-----------------
 (disabled) <-------
(1 row)

postgres=#

5. Verify WAL Archiving Behavior

postgres=# CHECKPOINT;
CHECKPOINT
postgres=#
postgres=# CHECKPOINT;
CHECKPOINT
postgres=# CHECKPOINT;
CHECKPOINT
postgres=#
postgres=# exit
postgres=# SELECT pg_switch_wal();
 pg_switch_wal
---------------
 0/44000000
(1 row)

postgres=# SELECT pg_switch_wal();
 pg_switch_wal
---------------
 0/44000000
(1 row)

postgres=# SELECT pg_switch_wal();
 pg_switch_wal
---------------
 0/44000000
(1 row)

postgres=#
[postgres@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]$ ls -ltr /pgArch/pgsql17/arch/
total 0  <---- Archivelogs not generating
[postgres@lxicbpgdsgv01 ~]$

Caution: Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk. It is provided for educational purposes only. It has been tested internally, however, we do not guarantee that it will work for you. Ensure that you run it in your test environment before using.

Thank you,
Rajasekhar Amudala
Email: br8dba@gmail.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajasekhar-amudala/