Greetings.
I posted this question on pgsql.general a few days ago, reopening an
months-old thread, but thus far, nobody has taken up my fight. So..

I initially started to install postgresql-8.3.5-2-windows.exe and let
it get as far as creating the postgres user for me. Then I realized
that the software is mistakenly getting installed on my C: drive,
which happens to be my Corsair flash memory stick. My actual system
drive is F:

So I aborted the install.

I ran several failed iterations, each stopping me dead at the password
prompt. Now, I know the password I had initially entered;I wrote it on
an index card. The installation keeps rejecting it , claiming an
incorrect password.

At my last iteration, here's what I did:
1. As Administrator, I went into the registry (using Registrar Lite)
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserLis t
and created a DWORD entry named postgres with a value of 1.
This made user postgres visible to the login page and to the User
Accounts control panel. (Source of this great knowledge: Insider
Power Techniques for WIndows XP, by Paul McFegries, Microsoft Press.)
2. I then used the control panel to delete the user. (I left the files
intact. Error?)
3. I went into the registry again, searched for every blessed (ahem)
reference to postgres, and deleted it. (Yes, I created a savepoint
first.)
4. I then recreated the postgres account as an administrator,
following the instructions by Stones and Mathew (Beginning
Databases with PostgreSQL), not allowing the installation program
to do it for me.
5. I then logged in as user postgres, using the password I know
*&^%$#! well.
6. Finally, I initiated the install again, as user postgres. (Error?
Should this be done as Administrator?) When it prompted me for the
password, I entered the same *&^%$#!-well-known password. I still
got that "incorrect password" error.

I took these drastic measures only after many other "let's try this"
attacks had failed. I can't access the documents as they come with
the installation. (BTW, the authors' web site within wrox.com is gone
AFAICT.) The on-line docs do not cover bizarre situations, whch are
my constant nemesis.

I *SO* need ideas that will work! :'-(

Can anyone *please* tell me what I have missed?

Thanks much!

-- J

I know very little about Windows, and about PostgreSQL servers on
windows, but one thing struck me:

Beau Nanaz <SpamnTrapf (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
It seems that the installation procedure creates that user. Right?

After manually removing PostgreSQL as good as you could, you manually
create a postgres user.

Why, if the installation procedure does it for you?
It seems to have worked well the first time.

I would try to get the system into the initial state and then repeat
what you did the first time, except that you install on F: rather than
on C:

Yours,
Laurenz Albe

Laurenz Albe a écrit :
I am also in trouble installing on Windows XP. The "one-click" binary
installation procedured apparently doesn't work at all.

The normal binary install procedure (3 or 4 clicks) makes more sense: it
seems that the procedures needs to create a Windows service, which it
does, AND a user account. I got to the point where the Windows service
runs, but there is no sign of a user account...
Installation options:
My install disk is the default: C:
Service name = default = postgres
Account name = default = postgres
password: same for both service and account

Symptom: dbAdmin can't connect to server...

What is it I'm doing wrong?
Thks in advance,
Pascale.

On Jan 13, 11:01*pm, Beau Nanaz <SpamnTr... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
i was having a similar problem...i went to administrative
tools>computer management>user accounts>users and even after i had
deleted most of the files and registry entries, the account was still
there, so i just deleted it and everything worked