Article - CS338794

"ERROR: cannot execute UPDATE in a read-only transaction" is seen in the database log or Application Log file for ThingWorx Platform

Modified: 21-Jul-2025   


Applies To

  • ThingWorx Platform 8.5 to 9.7
  • PostgreSQL
  • Azure PostgreSQL

Description

  • ThingWorx Platform instance has crashed and cannot be restarted
  • Unable to start ThingWorx Platform as the PostgreSQL database has been switched to read-only mode
  • Azure PostgreSQL logs show all ThingWorx transactions happen in read-only mode
  • Errors appearing in the PostgreSQL database log
    ERROR:  cannot execute UPDATE in a read-only transaction
    ERROR:  cannot execute INSERT in a read-only transaction
  • Cannot start ThingWorx Platform with the following messages logged in the <ThingworxStorage>\logs\ApplicationLog.log
    [L: ERROR] [O: c.t.p.p.PostgresModelExceptionTranslator] [I: ] [U: SuperUser] [S: ] [P: ] [T: ForkJoinPool-1-worker-3] ERROR: cannot execute UPDATE in a read-only transaction
    [L: ERROR] [O: c.t.s.m.BaseManager] [I: ] [U: SuperUser] [S: ] [P: ] [T: ForkJoinPool-1-worker-3] Unable To Initialize Entity ThingworxPersistenceProvider in PersistenceProviders: ERROR: cannot execute UPDATE in a read-only transaction
    [L: ERROR] [O: c.t.p.p.PostgresModelExceptionTranslator] [I: ] [U: SuperUser] [S: ] [P: ] [T: ForkJoinPool-1-worker-15] ERROR: current transaction is aborted, commands ignored until end of transaction block
    ...
    [L: ERROR] [O: c.t.s.ThingWorxBootstrapper] [I: ] [U: SuperUser] [S: ] [P: ] [T: main] *** CRITICAL ERROR ON STARTUP: Unable to initialize and start system: ERROR: current transaction is aborted, commands ignored until end of transaction block
    [L: ERROR] [O: c.t.s.ThingWorxBootstrapper] [I: ] [U: SuperUser] [S: ] [P: ] [T: main] *** Web Application STATE is being set to ERROR! ***
    [L: INFO] [O: c.t.s.ThingWorxServer] [I: ] [U: SuperUser] [S: ] [P: ] [T: main] >>>>>>> PLATFORM SHUTDOWN START <<<<<<<<<
  • Transactions including file transfers are unable to complete due to limitations in database space while ThingWorx is operational
  • Failing to commit database transactions as the database is set to read-only state 
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