Thread: I'd love to know what the rest of this error message is.
I've been using PostgreSQL on Mac OS X for a few years, but now I'm trying to install it on a WIndows computer so someone else can use it, and I'm getting the following error message when I try to advance beyond the "Service Configuration" screen in the installer: "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'. This is a common configuration error that causes security issues. For this reason, Postgr" That's it. Apparently the whole error message doesn't fit in the error dialog, but there's no way to resize the window. Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus points if you can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain what to do about it. I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL problem, but I'm afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of guy, and I try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of stuff always happens. Thanks!
dlivesay@covad.net wrote:
> I've been using PostgreSQL on Mac OS X for a few years, but now I'm trying to
> install it on a WIndows computer so someone else can use it, and I'm getting
> the following error message when I try to advance beyond the "Service
> Configuration" screen in the installer:
>
> "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'.
> This is a common configuration error that causes security issues. For this
> reason, Postgr"
>
> That's it. Apparently the whole error message doesn't fit in the error dialog,
> but there's no way to resize the window.
>
> Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus points if you
> can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain what to do about
> it.
Don't install as an adminstrator :), that is the long and short of it.
Joshua D. Drake
>
> I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL problem, but I'm
> afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of guy, and I
> try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of stuff always
> happens.
>
> Thanks!
>
> ---------------------------(end of broadcast)---------------------------
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>
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In response to dlivesay@covad.net: > I've been using PostgreSQL on Mac OS X for a few years, but now I'm trying to > install it on a WIndows computer so someone else can use it, and I'm getting > the following error message when I try to advance beyond the "Service > Configuration" screen in the installer: > > "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'. > This is a common configuration error that causes security issues. For this > reason, Postgr" > > That's it. Apparently the whole error message doesn't fit in the error dialog, > but there's no way to resize the window. > > Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus points if you > can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain what to do about > it. > > I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL problem, but I'm > afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of guy, and I > try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of stuff always > happens. I don't know 100%, but it looks like the "authenticated users" group is a member of the "administrators" group. This means that anyone who logs in to the workstation is an administrator. It's a complete lack of security, but it's also very common (in my experience) for Windows workstations. I'm guessing that the PG installer is being anal and refusing to allow you to install on such a poorly configured system, but that part I don't know. My suggestion would be to fix the users/groups on the Windows system so there is a special administrative user, then remove authenticated users from the administrator group. -- Bill Moran http://www.potentialtech.com
On 02/03/2007 21:14, Joshua D. Drake wrote: > Don't install as an adminstrator :), that is the long and short of it. I didn't think there was any problem about installing as an Administrator - just having PG run as one. Ray. --------------------------------------------------------------- Raymond O'Donnell, Director of Music, Galway Cathedral, Ireland rod@iol.ie ---------------------------------------------------------------
In response to Raymond O'Donnell <rod@iol.ie>: > On 02/03/2007 21:14, Joshua D. Drake wrote: > > > Don't install as an adminstrator :), that is the long and short of it. > > I didn't think there was any problem about installing as an > Administrator - just having PG run as one. The problem is not who you're logged in as. The problem is that your security configuration makes _everyone_ who logs in an administrator. -- Bill Moran http://www.potentialtech.com
Quoting Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com>: > In response to dlivesay@covad.net: > >> I've been using PostgreSQL on Mac OS X for a few years, but now I'm >> trying to >> install it on a WIndows computer so someone else can use it, and I'm getting >> the following error message when I try to advance beyond the "Service >> Configuration" screen in the installer: >> >> "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'. >> This is a common configuration error that causes security issues. For this >> reason, Postgr" >> >> That's it. Apparently the whole error message doesn't fit in the >> error dialog, >> but there's no way to resize the window. >> >> Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus >> points if you >> can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain what to >> do about >> it. >> >> I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL problem, but I'm >> afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of >> guy, and I >> try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of >> stuff always >> happens. > > I don't know 100%, but it looks like the "authenticated users" group is a > member of the "administrators" group. This means that anyone who logs in > to the workstation is an administrator. It's a complete lack of security, > but it's also very common (in my experience) for Windows workstations. > > I'm guessing that the PG installer is being anal and refusing to allow you > to install on such a poorly configured system, but that part I don't know. > > My suggestion would be to fix the users/groups on the Windows system so there > is a special administrative user, then remove authenticated users from the > administrator group. When I saw this error I immediately went to the "Local Users and Groups" control panel to see if I could figure out what the heck it was talking about, and I swear there is no group called "Authenticated Users". That's what's so baffling about this, apart from the incomplete error message.
In response to dlivesay@covad.net: > Quoting Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com>: > > > In response to dlivesay@covad.net: > > > >> I've been using PostgreSQL on Mac OS X for a few years, but now I'm > >> trying to > >> install it on a WIndows computer so someone else can use it, and I'm getting > >> the following error message when I try to advance beyond the "Service > >> Configuration" screen in the installer: > >> > >> "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'. > >> This is a common configuration error that causes security issues. For this > >> reason, Postgr" > >> > >> That's it. Apparently the whole error message doesn't fit in the > >> error dialog, > >> but there's no way to resize the window. > >> > >> Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus > >> points if you > >> can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain what to > >> do about > >> it. > >> > >> I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL problem, but I'm > >> afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of > >> guy, and I > >> try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of > >> stuff always > >> happens. > > > > I don't know 100%, but it looks like the "authenticated users" group is a > > member of the "administrators" group. This means that anyone who logs in > > to the workstation is an administrator. It's a complete lack of security, > > but it's also very common (in my experience) for Windows workstations. > > > > I'm guessing that the PG installer is being anal and refusing to allow you > > to install on such a poorly configured system, but that part I don't know. > > > > My suggestion would be to fix the users/groups on the Windows system so there > > is a special administrative user, then remove authenticated users from the > > administrator group. > > When I saw this error I immediately went to the "Local Users and > Groups" control > panel to see if I could figure out what the heck it was talking about, and I > swear there is no group called "Authenticated Users". That's what's so > baffling > about this, apart from the incomplete error message. Ahh ... IIRC, this isn't a _real_ group, it's kind of a pseudo-group that Windows evaluates on the fly to distinguish between users who have authenticated, and people who are using the system without having logged in (the fact that such a thing is possible at all is disturbing ...) It's a shame -- I get the impression that the rest of that error message would help you fix the issue, but I don't remember what you can do about it. Probably something to do with group policy, or some other setting in the security realm. -- Bill Moran http://www.potentialtech.com
On Mar 2, 2007, at 5:01 PM, Bill Moran wrote: > In response to dlivesay@covad.net: > >> Quoting Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com>: >> >>> In response to dlivesay@covad.net: >>> >>>> I've been using PostgreSQL on Mac OS X for a few years, but now I'm >>>> trying to >>>> install it on a WIndows computer so someone else can use it, and >>>> I'm getting >>>> the following error message when I try to advance beyond the >>>> "Service >>>> Configuration" screen in the installer: >>>> >>>> "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'. >>>> This is a common configuration error that causes security >>>> issues. For this >>>> reason, Postgr" >>>> >>>> That's it. Apparently the whole error message doesn't fit in the >>>> error dialog, >>>> but there's no way to resize the window. >>>> >>>> Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus >>>> points if you >>>> can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain >>>> what to >>>> do about >>>> it. >>>> >>>> I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL >>>> problem, but I'm >>>> afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of >>>> guy, and I >>>> try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of >>>> stuff always >>>> happens. >>> >>> I don't know 100%, but it looks like the "authenticated users" >>> group is a >>> member of the "administrators" group. This means that anyone who >>> logs in >>> to the workstation is an administrator. It's a complete lack of >>> security, >>> but it's also very common (in my experience) for Windows >>> workstations. >>> >>> I'm guessing that the PG installer is being anal and refusing to >>> allow you >>> to install on such a poorly configured system, but that part I >>> don't know. >>> >>> My suggestion would be to fix the users/groups on the Windows >>> system so there >>> is a special administrative user, then remove authenticated users >>> from the >>> administrator group. >> >> When I saw this error I immediately went to the "Local Users and >> Groups" control >> panel to see if I could figure out what the heck it was talking >> about, and I >> swear there is no group called "Authenticated Users". That's >> what's so >> baffling >> about this, apart from the incomplete error message. > > Ahh ... IIRC, this isn't a _real_ group, it's kind of a pseudo- > group that > Windows evaluates on the fly to distinguish between users who have > authenticated, and people who are using the system without having > logged > in (the fact that such a thing is possible at all is disturbing ...) What's really disturbing is that someone in our IT department set up this machine, and its policies are so screwed up I can't even install a dbms. > It's a shame -- I get the impression that the rest of that error > message > would help you fix the issue, but I don't remember what you can do > about > it. Probably something to do with group policy, or some other setting > in the security realm. I'm kind of surprised that this installer could make it through a test cycle with an error message that's not legible. Is there any chance this error might be logged somewhere?
On 2 Mar 2007 at 16:33, dlivesay@covad.net wrote: > Quoting Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com>: > > > In response to dlivesay@covad.net: <snip> > >> "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'. > >> This is a common configuration error that causes security issues. For this > >> reason, Postgr" > >> <snip> > >> Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus > >> points if you > >> can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain what to > >> do about > >> it. > >> > >> I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL problem, but I'm > >> afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of > >> guy, and I > >> try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of > >> stuff always > >> happens. > > > > I don't know 100%, but it looks like the "authenticated users" group is a > > member of the "administrators" group. This means that anyone who logs in > > to the workstation is an administrator. It's a complete lack of security, > > but it's also very common (in my experience) for Windows workstations. > > > > I'm guessing that the PG installer is being anal and refusing to allow you > > to install on such a poorly configured system, but that part I don't know. > > > > My suggestion would be to fix the users/groups on the Windows system so there > > is a special administrative user, then remove authenticated users from the > > administrator group. > > When I saw this error I immediately went to the "Local Users and > Groups" control > panel to see if I could figure out what the heck it was talking about, and I > swear there is no group called "Authenticated Users". That's what's so > baffling > about this, apart from the incomplete error message. Authenticated users is a psuedogroup generated internally. You won't find it listed as a group perse, but if you go to the Administrators group and check it's membership you will see it listed there. -jcm
On Mar 2, 2007, at 8:47 PM, Jan Muszynski wrote: > On 2 Mar 2007 at 16:33, dlivesay@covad.net wrote: > >> Quoting Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com>: >> >>> In response to dlivesay@covad.net: > <snip> >>>> "Your local 'Administrators' group contains 'Authenticated Users'. >>>> This is a common configuration error that causes security >>>> issues. For this >>>> reason, Postgr" >>>> > <snip> >>>> Does anybody know what the rest of this message might be? Bonus >>>> points if you >>>> can explain what it means, and especially if you can explain >>>> what to >>>> do about >>>> it. >>>> >>>> I suspect this is more a WIndows problem than a PostgreSQL >>>> problem, but I'm >>>> afraid I don't know that much about Windows. I'm a Mac/Unix kind of >>>> guy, and I >>>> try to avoid using WIndows whenever possible because this kind of >>>> stuff always >>>> happens. >>> >>> I don't know 100%, but it looks like the "authenticated users" >>> group is a >>> member of the "administrators" group. This means that anyone who >>> logs in >>> to the workstation is an administrator. It's a complete lack of >>> security, >>> but it's also very common (in my experience) for Windows >>> workstations. >>> >>> I'm guessing that the PG installer is being anal and refusing to >>> allow you >>> to install on such a poorly configured system, but that part I >>> don't know. >>> >>> My suggestion would be to fix the users/groups on the Windows >>> system so there >>> is a special administrative user, then remove authenticated users >>> from the >>> administrator group. >> >> When I saw this error I immediately went to the "Local Users and >> Groups" control >> panel to see if I could figure out what the heck it was talking >> about, and I >> swear there is no group called "Authenticated Users". That's >> what's so >> baffling >> about this, apart from the incomplete error message. > > Authenticated users is a psuedogroup generated internally. You > won't find > it listed as a group perse, but if you go to the Administrators > group and > check it's membership you will see it listed there. I checked that and didn't see it there.
Bill Moran wrote: > It's a shame -- I get the impression that the rest of that error message > would help you fix the issue, but I don't remember what you can do about > it. Probably something to do with group policy, or some other setting > in the security realm. Try CTRL + C while focus on the error dialog, then paste to notepad. That usually works. -- Best regards, Hannes Dorbath
Hannes Dorbath wrote:
> Bill Moran wrote:
>> It's a shame -- I get the impression that the rest of that error message
>> would help you fix the issue, but I don't remember what you can do about
>> it. Probably something to do with group policy, or some other setting
>> in the security realm.
>
>
> Try CTRL + C while focus on the error dialog, then paste to notepad.
> That usually works.
>
FWIW, the complete message comes out of this line:
snwprintf(errmsg,errsize,__("Your local '%s' group contains
'%S'.\n\nThis is a common configuration error that causes security
issues. For this reason, PostgreSQL will not run until this error has
been corrected."),
groupname, lookforsids[j].friendlyname);
(sorry about the linebreaks)
First of all, we should enlarge that buffer :)
But second, I think we can remove the check altogether, now that we in
8.2 will actually start from such an account. We did remove the check
for the actual account being in there... Dave, do you agree?
//Magnus