BUG #2646: Installation Failed due to Permissions

The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 2646
Logged by: Willa Wei
Email address: wwei(at)mda(dot)ca
PostgreSQL version: 8.1.4
Operating system: Windows XP Pro
Description: Installation Failed due to Permissions
Details:

Dear support,

I tried to install PostgreSQL version 8.1.4 on a cooperate computer and it
failed all the time no matter what I did. As corporate security police, each
of us has given one corporate network user admin account and regular user
account. The PostgresSQL installer also created a service account on local
machine. I know we supposed not to use admin account. So, I tried to install
the software using the two non-admin accounts and I got different results:

1. Login as postgres service account

a. Install location by default (under program files) and C:/. I checked the
permissions on those directories and the service account has permission to
access those directories.

The error message said: Failed to set permission on the installed files.
Please see the logfile in 'C:/<install_path>\8.1\tmp\pgpem.log'.

b. When I tried to open the 8.1 folder, the Windows gave me an error: Access
is denied.

I opened the folder's properties it shown that the permissions for the
service account/longin user were unchecked.

c. I checked all the boxes. When I opened the folder again, I could see all
the folders. But, in \tmp directory I only see the log file and it said that
the directory <path>\8.1 access is denied.

d. Delete the installation folder and create a new one and make sure that
the service account/local user group has permissions to access it.

e. When I tried to install the software again, it gave me the same error and
the folder \8.1 became non-accessible again.

2. Login as corporate network regular account

a. Same as the login as service account.

The error message said: Failed to create process for initdb: Access is
denied.

b. I opened the installation folder \8.1 and I could see all the folders. In
the tmp directory I can see initdb.bat and initdb.pwd files.

When I checked the permission information for that folder, it shown as:

Type Name Permission Inherited from Apply to
Deny service account Special not inherited this
folder, subfolders ...
Allow service account Read&Execute not inherited this folder,
subfolders...
Allow users group Full Control parent folder this
folder, subfolders...
...

3. I unplug the network connection and login again with above cases. The
installer behaved the same.

If this is not a bug, then what What kind of permission policy does the
installer required? Is there anybody else who has the similar problem? How
can we work around this problem?

Thanks in advance for you help?

Willa Wei

Senior Software Engineer, Research & Development
MacDonald, Dettwiler & Associates Ltd.
13800 Commerce Parkway
Richmond, B.C., V6V 2J3
e-mail: wwe(at)mdacorporation(dot)com
T: 604-278-3411; F: 604-231-2753
www.mda.ca