Pg_restore: error: input file does not appear to be a valid archive

When you encounter the “pg_restore: error: input file does not appear to be a valid archive” error while using the pg_restore command, it means that the input file you have specified is not recognized as a valid backup archive by pg_restore. This can happen due to various reasons, such as an incorrect file path, a corrupted file, or a mismatch between the file format and the version of PostgreSQL.

To resolve this issue, you should ensure that you are providing the correct input file path and that the file is not corrupted. Additionally, make sure that the file format is compatible with the version of PostgreSQL you are using.

Here is an example of how you can use the pg_restore command with a valid backup archive:

            
                pg_restore -U username -d dbname /path/to/backup/file.tar
            
        

In this example, replace “username” with your PostgreSQL username, “dbname” with the name of your database, and “/path/to/backup/file.tar” with the correct path to your backup archive file.

If you still encounter the same error after double-checking the file path and format, it could indicate that the backup file is corrupted. In such cases, you may need to obtain a valid backup file or try restoring from a different backup source.

Remember to ensure that you have the necessary permissions to access and restore the backup file. Access rights and permissions can sometimes cause issues when performing database restoration.

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