def METHOD_NAME( quiet=False ):
  global status_log_file
  original_log_file = status_log_file
  status_log_file= "NULL" if quiet else status_log_file
  try:
    execute_cmd( "pg_ctl", [ "-D", sql_dir, "-w", "-t", "20", "-l", sql_log_file, "start" ] )
    status_log_file = original_log_file
    return True
  except:
    status_log_file = original_log_file
    return False