psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused Is the server running on host “localhost” (::1) and accepting TCP/IP connections on port 5432?

Question

I'm sorry I have been running around SO posts for over a day now and am just feeling like I'm going nowhere. I recently updated my software to Mavericks and my rails app no longer works. Specifically my psql database isn't working. When I type psql in my console it returns "could not connect to server: Connection refused..." and when I rails server I get a "PG Connection Bad" with the same text.

Here is my pg_hba.conf file:

# TYPE  DATABASE        USER            ADDRESS                 METHOD

# "local" is for Unix domain socket connections only
local   all             all                                     trust
# IPv4 local connections:
host    all             all             127.0.0.1/32            trust
# IPv6 local connections:
host    all             all             ::1/128                 trust
# Allow replication connections from localhost, by a user with the
# replication privilege.
#local   replication     Brian_Liou                                trust
#host    replication     Brian_Liou        127.0.0.1/32            trust
#host    replication     Brian_Liou        ::1/128                 trust

Here is my postgresql.conf

# FILE LOCATIONS
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# The default values of these variables are driven from the -D command-line
# option or PGDATA environment variable, represented here as ConfigDir.

#data_directory = 'ConfigDir'       # use data in another directory
                # (change requires restart)
#hba_file = 'ConfigDir/pg_hba.conf' # host-based authentication file
                # (change requires restart)
#ident_file = 'ConfigDir/pg_ident.conf' # ident configuration file
                # (change requires restart)

# If external_pid_file is not explicitly set, no extra PID file is written.
#external_pid_file = ''         # write an extra PID file
                # (change requires restart)


#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# CONNECTIONS AND AUTHENTICATION
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# - Connection Settings -

#listen_addresses = ‘*’             # what IP address(es) to listen on;
                # comma-separated list of addresses;
                # defaults to 'localhost'; use '*' for all
                # (change requires restart)
#port = 5432                # (change requires restart)
max_connections = 100           # (change requires restart)
# Note:  Increasing max_connections costs ~400 bytes of shared memory per
# connection slot, plus lock space (see max_locks_per_transaction).
#superuser_reserved_connections = 3 # (change requires restart)
#unix_socket_directories = '/tmp'   # comma-separated list of directories
                # (change requires restart)
#unix_socket_group = ''         # (change requires restart)
#unix_socket_permissions = 0777     # begin with 0 to use octal notation
                # (change requires restart)
#bonjour = off              # advertise server via Bonjour
                # (change requires restart)
#bonjour_name = ''          # defaults to the computer name
                # (change requires restart)

# - Security and Authentication -

#authentication_timeout = 1min      # 1s-600s
#ssl = off              # (change requires restart)
#ssl_ciphers = 'DEFAULT:!LOW:!EXP:!MD5:@STRENGTH'   # allowed SSL ciphers
                # (change requires restart)
#ssl_renegotiation_limit = 512MB    # amount of data between renegotiations
#ssl_cert_file = 'server.crt'       # (change requires restart)
#ssl_key_file = 'server.key'        # (change requires restart)
#ssl_ca_file = ''           # (change requires restart)
#ssl_crl_file = ''          # (change requires restart)
#password_encryption = on
#db_user_namespace = off

# Kerberos and GSSAPI
#krb_server_keyfile = ''
#krb_srvname = 'postgres'       # (Kerberos only)
#krb_caseins_users = off

# - TCP Keepalives -
# see "man 7 tcp" for details

#tcp_keepalives_idle = 0        # TCP_KEEPIDLE, in seconds;
                # 0 selects the system default
#tcp_keepalives_interval = 0        # TCP_KEEPINTVL, in seconds;
                # 0 selects the system default
#tcp_keepalives_count = 0       # TCP_KEEPCNT;
                # 0 selects the system default

I have tried removing this folder: /usr/local/var/postgres and then reinstalling postgresql using brew.

My Bash profile includes

export PGDATA=/usr/local/var/postgres
export PGHOST=localhost

I know the issue has to do with the Postgres which Mac automatically installs and the one that brew installs, other than that I'm completely lost. FYI I'm also a rails/programmer newbie. Please let me know of any additional information I can provide to fix this problem!

Answer 1

I was finally able to receive personal help from a friend! Thanks Mark Miyashita!!!!

reset-postgres(){
  rm -rf /usr/local/var/postgres
  sudo sysctl -w kern.sysv.shmall=65536
  sudo sysctl -w kern.sysv.shmmax=16777216
  initdb /usr/local/var/postgres -E utf8
  sleep 2
  launchctl unload -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/homebrew.mxcl.postgresql.plist
  cp /usr/local/Cellar/postgresql/9.3.4/homebrew.mxcl.postgresql.plist               ~/Library/LaunchAgents/
  launchctl load -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/homebrew.mxcl.postgresql.plist
  sleep 3
  createdb DATABASENAME_development
  sleep 1
}

might have to change the version number depending on which postgres you have