Re: BUG #3746: installation fails

Mike wrote:
> The following bug has been logged online:
>
> Bug reference:      3746
> Logged by:          Mike
> Email address:      michael.wutzke@emporis.com
> PostgreSQL version: 8.2
> Operating system:   Win2003/WinXP
> Description:        installation fails
> Details:
>
> I tried to install PostgreSQL two times on different systems.
>
> You will not be able to promote your software if the install fails.
> Conclusion: The installation process is too complicated!

Not sure how you get quite that conclusion. I get something more like:
Find the reason why it failed in your particular case and if possible
fix the package to work in that situation :-)

> Error: The program "postgres" is needed by initdb but was not found in the
> same directory as "C:/Program Files/PostgreSQL/8.2/bin/initdb". Check your
> installation.

There are a couple of things that could cause this:

- If the ACL is set in a non-standard way on the installation directory
(or one of the parent directories) it's possible that postgres.exe is
only accessible through permissions inherited from an administrator or
power user group membership of the service user account (such
permissions are intentionally dropped at startup). If this is the case,
grant the service user account explicit permission to access the
installation files.

If the service user account was created by the installer this shouldn't
normally be possible, unless you have (for example) your Users group
inheriting admin privileges from a non-standard group membership (ie.
you made Users a member of Administrators or something similar), or a
group policy granting such rights.

- Some Anti Virus packages do strange things. Try removing any (not just
disabling) prior to installation and replacing afterwards. For the
record AV packages we know to work without problems include Grisoft, and
Sophos.

Regards, Dave.