Thread: BUG #18553: Please seriously address the severe issue of database installation failures on Windows 10.

The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      18553
Logged by:          Yan Chen
Email address:      pinsaxy@gmail.com
PostgreSQL version: 16.3
Operating system:   Windows 10
Description:

The first step for customers using PostgreSQL is installation. However, due
to potential user permission issues with PostgreSQL, the installation always
fails at the database creation step. During the installation process, a
dialog box pops up saying: Problem running post-install step, Installation
may not complete correctly. Failed to start the database server. After
installation, the data directory is empty.

I believe that a dedicated software company should not ignore installation
issues. I am extremely angry about this and have registered an account
specifically to express my dissatisfaction with you!

Welcome to open source, if you'd like professional guidance and support, may I suggest EDB.  They would be happy to
assistyou for a professional fee.  They are great! 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org> 
Sent: Thursday, July 25, 2024 11:21 PM
To: pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org
Cc: pinsaxy@gmail.com
Subject: [EXTERNAL] BUG #18553: Please seriously address the severe issue of database installation failures on Windows
10.

The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      18553
Logged by:          Yan Chen
Email address:      pinsaxy@gmail.com
PostgreSQL version: 16.3
Operating system:   Windows 10
Description:        

The first step for customers using PostgreSQL is installation. However, due to potential user permission issues with
PostgreSQL,the installation always fails at the database creation step. During the installation process, a dialog box
popsup saying: Problem running post-install step, Installation may not complete correctly. Failed to start the database
server.After installation, the data directory is empty.
 

I believe that a dedicated software company should not ignore installation issues. I am extremely angry about this and
haveregistered an account specifically to express my dissatisfaction with you!
 


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The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      18553
Logged by:          Yan Chen
Email address:      pinsaxy@gmail.com
PostgreSQL version: 16.3
Operating system:   Windows 10
Description:       

The first step for customers using PostgreSQL is installation. However, due
to potential user permission issues with PostgreSQL, the installation always
fails at the database creation step. During the installation process, a
dialog box pops up saying: Problem running post-install step, Installation
may not complete correctly. Failed to start the database server. After
installation, the data directory is empty.

I believe that a dedicated software company should not ignore installation
issues. I am extremely angry about this and have registered an account
specifically to express my dissatisfaction with you!

On Thursday, July 25, 2024, PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org> wrote:

The following bug has been logged on the website:

Bug reference:      18553
Logged by:          Yan Chen
Email address:      pinsaxy@gmail.com
PostgreSQL version: 16.3
Operating system:   Windows 10
Description:       

The first step for customers using PostgreSQL is installation. However, due
to potential user permission issues with PostgreSQL, the installation always
fails at the database creation step. During the installation process, a
dialog box pops up saying: Problem running post-install step, Installation
may not complete correctly. Failed to start the database server. After
installation, the data directory is empty.

I believe that a dedicated software company should not ignore installation
issues. I am extremely angry about this and have registered an account
specifically to express my dissatisfaction with you!

Didn’t even know there was an issue until you tell us.  And still don’t know what that issue is because you have not provided sufficient details.  There are many ways to get community assistance with installation and debugging, though this bug report forum isn’t one of them, but maybe the third-party installation provider EDB will chime in with more helpful comments anyway.  In the meantime, if you’d like to do more than vent I’d suggest following the instructions on the installer/s website: https://www.enterprisedb.com/docs/supported-open-source/postgresql/troubleshooting/

Let me add a couple of things. First, the PostgreSQL community is not a software company. It doesn't sell anything, and you haven't bought anything from it. Expressing anger isn't really appropriate here, no matter how frustrated you are.

Second, while I work for EDB, which produces the installers for Windows, I am not responsible for the installers. However, I did just install the latest release on my Windows 10 machine without a hitch. So this isn't a universal problem, at least.

Note that the download page says that the while the releases will generally work on desktop editions of Windows, we test on various server editions, see <https://www.postgresql.org/download/windows/>

cheers

andrew

--
Andrew Dunstan
EDB: https://www.enterprisedb.com

On Fri, Jul 26, 2024 at 9:33 PM PG Bug reporting form
<noreply@postgresql.org> wrote:
> The first step for customers using PostgreSQL is installation. However, due
> to potential user permission issues with PostgreSQL, the installation always
> fails at the database creation step. During the installation process, a
> dialog box pops up saying: Problem running post-install step, Installation
> may not complete correctly. Failed to start the database server. After
> installation, the data directory is empty.

Some wild guesses at things to look into:

1.  User error: does it need to be run as administrator?  I wonder if
it is possible that the diagnostic error messages could be improved,
ie if common user mistakes could be detected better, and also if the
dialogue box could tell the user where to find the log to check for
more details if it doesn't already, which might help users fix
problems themselves more often and encourage higher quality bug
reports when they can't.  I've never used the installer myself, I'm
just thinking out loud about how to turn this information-free bug
report towards a positive outcome, ie whether the frustration
expressed is really about mismatched expectations about where users
will think to look for the solution.

2.  Encoding issues: There have in the past been a few problems with
locale names, directory names, user names containing non-ASCII
characters that have apparently confused the installer.  Examples:

https://github.com/EnterpriseDB/edb-installers/issues/127 (same message)
https://github.com/EnterpriseDB/edb-installers/issues/106 (different message)

Again, the .log file might have the clues needed.

> I believe that a dedicated software company should not ignore installation
> issues. I am extremely angry about this and have registered an account
> specifically to express my dissatisfaction with you!

I just want to say that I really appreciate the hard work done by the
Windows installer team.  Packaging large complicated open source
projects for that OS is a really difficult job, given for free to end
users, and it can be a hostile crowd.

> On Jul 25, 2024, at 23:20, PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org> wrote:
> I believe that a dedicated software company should not ignore installation
> issues. I am extremely angry about this and have registered an account
> specifically to express my dissatisfaction with you!

Hi.

Before firing out accusations of incompetence, please keep in mind that many, many people have used the Windows
installerswithout issue.  The chance that every single person is encountering the same error you are is vanishingly
slim.

If this is an emergency and you need immediate support, EDB is a commercial company and offers paid support.

Best,
-- Christophe