PostgreSQL: The database cluster initialization failed

Question

Both C:\PostgreSQL and C:\PostgreSQL\data have postgres user with full access and admin rights.

I ran postgresql-9.1.2-1-windows.exe from postgres user as admin. Target C:\PostgreSQL

Every way I try, I get "The database cluster initialization failed."

Questions

Is it OK to run everything w/o being a Windows Service?
Is there a work-around to install as Windows Service?

I am trying to setup PostGIS to work with GeoDjango.

I was able to manually install PostGIS. New to PostgreSQL and I am having a crisis of confidence over all of this. Coming from MySQL to PostgreSQL for the first time.

Pertinent log output from C:\Users\Larry\AppData\Local\Temp\install-postgresql.log:

WScript.Network initialized...
Called IsVistaOrNewer()...
    'winmgmts' object initialized...
    Version:6.1
    MajorVersion:6
Ensuring we can read the path C: (using icacls) to Larry:
    Executing batch file 'radA3CF7.bat'...
    Output file does not exists...
Called IsVistaOrNewer()...
    'winmgmts' object initialized...
    Version:6.1
    MajorVersion:6
Ensuring we can read the path C:\PostgreSQL (using icacls) to Larry:
    Executing batch file 'radA3CF7.bat'...
    Output file does not exists...
Called IsVistaOrNewer()...
    'winmgmts' object initialized...
    Version:6.1
    MajorVersion:6
Ensuring we can read the path C:\PostgreSQL\data (using icacls) to Larry:
    Executing batch file 'radA3CF7.bat'...
    Output file does not exists...
Called IsVistaOrNewer()...
    'winmgmts' object initialized...
    Version:6.1
    MajorVersion:6
Ensuring we can write to the data directory (using icacls) to  Larry:
    Executing batch file 'radA3CF7.bat'...
    Output file does not exists...
Failed to ensure the data directory is accessible (C:\PostgreSQL\data)
    Executing batch file 'radA3CF7.bat'...
    Output file does not exists...
Called Die(Failed to initialise the database cluster with initdb)...
Failed to initialise the database cluster with initdb

Suggestions?

see install log (it should be somewhere on disk, probably in %TEMP%) — filiprem, Jan 05 '12 at 22:41
Does the postgres *Windows* user have **full** read and write privileges on C:\PostgreSQL\data? — a_horse_with_no_name, Jan 06 '12 at 08:40
Yes, AND per a suggestion elsewhere, I gave Users Modify permissions to that directory. — Larry Eitel, Jan 06 '12 at 11:39
@LarryEitel: but "*Failed to ensure the data directory is accessible (C:\PostgreSQL\data)*" seems to indicate otherwise. — a_horse_with_no_name, Jan 06 '12 at 12:30
Indeed. However, I have verified that postgres has Full permissions in PostgreSQL & PostgreSQL/data. I also uninstalled while leaving these DIRs and permissions. Reinstalled FROM user postgres. Same outcome. :( I am thinking to try version 8X. I just need a stable stack for running GeoDjango. — Larry Eitel, Jan 06 '12 at 14:57
I typically just download the binary and run initdb with a privileged account — swasheck, Sep 13 '12 at 14:59
IIRC, permissions (and how they work) on the base of the C: drive are slightly different from the permissions given for directories (and elsewhere) in Windows; check the properties for your C: drive and look at how the permissions are set up. You may wish to create the PostgreSQL directory as a sub-directory, using an existing directory that the account already has permissions for. — Avery Payne, Sep 13 '12 at 22:46
Install log is in Users\\AppData\Local\Temp\install-postgresql.txt. Note that AppData is hidden, but you can just type it into the path textbox at the top of Explorer. — John, May 28 '15 at 00:37
I had similar trouble installing on a 2012R2 VM. Company policy was to install apps on D:, leaving C: for OS. D: was on a SAN somewhere. Some kind of access control issue seemed to prevent the init process working. I solved it by installing in C:\Postgres. (Note that C:\Program Files\ also has more stringent access controls, and others have reported problems installing it in there.) — John, May 28 '15 at 00:41
Had this problem on Windows 10. For me the solution was to choose a locale different from [Default Locale] when prompted during install. — Vlad, Jan 14 '19 at 00:09
I can't answer this question, but I solved this by following [this answer](https://dba.stackexchange.com/a/248584/205787) — Thammarith, Apr 05 '20 at 10:45

score 21 · Answer 1 · edited Mar 27 '17 at 22:42

21

I had the same issue installing 9.1.4 on Windows 7. I managed to find a solution online that worked.

The steps I followed are:

Uninstall PostgreSQL
Delete the postgres user if it still exists.
```
net user postgres /delete
```
Create the postgres user with a password you can remember
```
net user /add postgres <password>
```
Add the postgres user to the Administrators group
```
net localgroup administrators postgres /add
```
Add the postgres user to the Power Users group
```
net localgroup "power users" postgres /add
```
Run a command window as the postgres user
```
runas /user:postgres cmd.exe
```
Run the install file from within the command window.
```
C:\Download\postgresql-9.1.4-1-windows.exe
```
This should run the installation successfully.
Remove the postgres user from the Administrators group.
```
net localgroup administrators postgres /delete
```

edited Mar 27 '17 at 22:42

Grant Humphries

103
4

answered Aug 08 '12 at 07:06

Imraan

351
3
7

Thank you for the feedback. Unfortunately, I have since shifted this project to Mongodb. I am not in a position at the moment to confirm your suggestion. – Larry Eitel Aug 09 '12 at 14:39
1

This is a well-known issue with re-installation of PostgreSQL that is running as a service, and I have personally run into the situation that this answer addresses. The installer leaves behind an account upon removal or upgrade, but the 2nd installation does not factor this in; the resulting credential disparity between installations creates havoc. The most-common answer is the one Imraan gives; un-install, remove the offending account, then re-install. – Avery Payne Sep 13 '12 at 22:43
I want to confirm that the solution worked for me. Setup: Postgres 9.1 64 bit and PostGIS 2.0.1 x64 – Chris Sep 13 '12 at 14:47
@AveryPayne: alternatively: remember the correct password for the postgres service account. I have installed Postgres a lot on systems where it was already installed and never had a problem with an existing service account. The wording in the installer could have been improved though (with 9.2 Postgres doesn't use an explicit account any longer btw) – a_horse_with_no_name Oct 02 '12 at 21:39
Keep in mind that, for step 4, `administrators` is locale dependent. For example, in PT-BR it is `administradores`. And, in step 5, `"power users"` is `"usuários avançados"`. – GuiRitter Apr 26 '19 at 19:46
1

And this procedure didn't fix it for me. I'm still getting the cluster initialization failed message during installation. – GuiRitter Apr 26 '19 at 19:55

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 11 '13 at 20:47

I had the same error message when trying to install 9.2.4. My issue was because even though the Win2k8 server had %SYSTEMROOT%\system32 as part of the path, no programs could "see" anything in C:\Windows\system32. The installer heavily uses icacls.exe during the init routine. Since my path was screwed up, the installer bombed out.

Once I explicitly added C:\Windows\system32 to the SYSTEM's Path environment variable and re-ran the installer as an admin, everything worked fine.

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 18 '13 at 03:51

In my case (as I saw from the postgresql.log file in %temp% folder of Windows), it was because the installer was unable to find doskey.exe even though the path to c:\windows\system32 folder was given in the environment variable path of windows.
So I opened up a command prompt, typed set PATH=%PATH%;c:\windows\system32 and ran the installer from the command prompt itself. It worked! :)

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 17 '13 at 14:16

2

None of the above worked for me. I had no use postgres.

So I deleted/uninstalled everything. Ran cmd as administrator.

Then ran the installer from command line (as admin) and selected a completely new location for the data directory.

I have now succesfully reinstalled postgres, after half a day of jiggery pokery.

answered Jun 17 '13 at 14:16

NimChimpsky

384
3
10

i did that and still didn't work for me. – EKanadily Jan 31 '20 at 21:45

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 22 '14 at 20:14

1

This problem has to do with write permission on folder. Create the folder / data into PostgreSQL \ 9.2 for example, and give full permission to the user. Try reinstalling again.

answered Apr 22 '14 at 20:14

user37408

11
1

PostgreSQL: The database cluster initialization failed

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