WINDOWS INSTALLATION TIPS
we installed postgres on our windows 2000 server yesterday and faced a few
problems (related to initdb ). We found that a few initial steps will make
things easy for all. These are not listed out in the forums or postgres
docs. if it is ok you can post these in the postgres windows faq.
we have written below a few lines which may help others. this applies to
win2k and also apply to win2003
a) if your server is hosted in a dataceneter
for installation on windows 2000 you cannot use terminal service. you need a
remote desktop service. you can install realvnc (http://www.realvnc.com)
install it (you can uninstall it later) so that you get access to your
server similar to a console.
Ifyou are using win2003 use remote desktop for installation.
b) postgres database server will not install as an user with administrator
rights. So before starting installation create some random user :
"my_postgres" under computer management > users , and remember the password.
By default this user which you create will belong to the member of "users"
group which has limited permissions.
c) create a folder say c:\postgres.
It is assumed that the windows users "system" and "adminstrator" already
have full rights
over entire c: drive
d) now select the folder c:\postgres > properties > security > add user
"my_postgres " and user "everyone".
both users should be given full permissions to ready / write / modify etc to
the c:\postgres directory location.
After installation you SHOULD remove user "everyone" but retain
"user_postgres" user which selective permissions as per posgres
documentation.
e) go to c: drive properties > quotas > make sure you give user_postgres
unlimited quota or atleast around 200 mb. if you dont do this then
installation may stop midway with errors.
f) now you can start your installation and give path c:\postgres during
installation instead of c:\program files, and use the above user :
my_postgres . remember that after installation postgres service under
windows service will run as "my_postgres" for security purpose.
Now remove user "everyone" from c:\postfix
Adjust the user_postgres permissions as per postgres document.
Restart "postgres" service and check.
If the permissions on the c:\postgres directory is not correct then the
service will not start correctly.
hope this helps many new people
INDIANNIC-HOSTING wrote:
we have written below a few lines which may help others. this applies to
win2k and also apply to win2003
Always good to have someone take the time to document their experiences.
a) if your server is hosted in a dataceneter
for installation on windows 2000 you cannot use terminal service.
Hmm - this *should* be documented somewhere. I don't really use Windows
and I know about it somehow.
b) postgres database server will not install as an user with administrator
rights.
Indeed not. Or rather, it won't run as an administrator. I think you
should be able to run the installer as Administrator and tell it to do
the next step for you. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
So before starting installation create some random user :
"my_postgres" under computer management > users , and remember the
password.
Yes, but it's probably better to call the user "postgres" unless you
have a reason not to. Traditionally that's the default user-name.
One other point that can catch people out is that internal database
users aren't the same as O.S. users, although if you try and connect via
psql and don't give it a user-name it will default to using the current
O.S. user.
Thanks for documenting your experience. Remember to always keep
up-to-date with minor version-number updates.
--
Richard Huxton
Archonet Ltd
On Feb 12, 2008 8:19 AM, Richard Huxton <dev@archonet.com> wrote:
a) if your server is hosted in a dataceneter
for installation on windows 2000 you cannot use terminal service.Hmm - this *should* be documented somewhere. I don't really use Windows
and I know about it somehow.
It is indeed documented:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs.FAQ_windows.html#3.5
It will run on a TS enabled machine - you just cannot run the server
or initdb from a TS session. You can overcome this by runing the
installation directly on the console, or on the console via VNC, or
using the terminal services client in console mode (eg. mstsc /console
)
b) postgres database server will not install as an user with administrator
rights.Indeed not. Or rather, it won't run as an administrator. I think you
should be able to run the installer as Administrator and tell it to do
the next step for you. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
Actually 8.2 and above will (quite safely) on Windows:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs.FAQ_windows.html#2.3
For the technically minded it does so by creating a restricted
security token from which all administrative group memberships are
removed and then re-execs itself using that token. The child process
doesn't have the privileges to re-elevate itself which is what makes
it safe.
--
Dave Page
EnterpriseDB UK: http://www.enterprisedb.com
The Oracle-compatible database company
Dave Page wrote:
On Feb 12, 2008 8:19 AM, Richard Huxton <dev@archonet.com> wrote:
b) postgres database server will not install as an user with administrator
rights.Indeed not. Or rather, it won't run as an administrator. I think you
should be able to run the installer as Administrator and tell it to do
the next step for you. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.Actually 8.2 and above will (quite safely) on Windows:
http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs.FAQ_windows.html#2.3For the technically minded it does so by creating a restricted
security token from which all administrative group memberships are
removed and then re-execs itself using that token. The child process
doesn't have the privileges to re-elevate itself which is what makes
it safe.
So it still appears in process lists as belonging to e.g. "Adminstrator"
but has restricted perms? Ingenious, but a bit fiddly for a server
daemon for my tastes. Fortunately, I can safe safely on the *nix side of
the fence most of the time nowadays.
--
Richard Huxton
Archonet Ltd
Hi,
Richard Huxton wrote:
INDIANNIC-HOSTING wrote:
a) if your server is hosted in a dataceneter
for installation on windows 2000 you cannot use terminal service.Hmm - this *should* be documented somewhere. I don't really use Windows
and I know about it somehow.
Can't you use "change user /install" inside a terminal session to make
this work? Open a CMD prompt, and type "change user /install"...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320185
Maarten
Maarten Boekhold wrote:
Hi,
Richard Huxton wrote:
INDIANNIC-HOSTING wrote:
a) if your server is hosted in a dataceneter
for installation on windows 2000 you cannot use terminal service.Hmm - this *should* be documented somewhere. I don't really use
Windows and I know about it somehow.Can't you use "change user /install" inside a terminal session to make
this work? Open a CMD prompt, and type "change user /install"...
No, that's not the problem in this case. It's the launching of initdb
that doesn't work.
Also, it "change user /install" has no effect if you're using windows
2000 in administrative terminal servics mode, only in application mode.
But if yo do use it in application mode (which you probably aren't doing
on your pg servers, but it's certainly possible), then you should *also*
do the change user trick - like with all ts apps.
//Magnus