Attention of all PostgreSQL 8.1.0-2 Windows Installer

I am writing to you all just to inform you of a bug(probably), that I
came across while trying to install PostgreSQL 8.1.0-2 on WinXP with
SP2, using the PostgreSQL installer.

I had done a windows clean install and then installed straight away
PostgreSQL 8.0.4.  It was the only software installed on windows and
worked perfectly.  After a day or two, I noticed that the PostgreSQL
8.1.0-2 was released. I decided two uninstall PostgreSQL 8.0.4 and
install the new 8.1.0-2 version.

So I did, using the following unistall procedure:

1.  I unistalled PostgreSQL 8.0.4 form the control panel in the usual
manner that all windows application are uninstalled.
2.  I used the Computer Management program of the Administrative Tools
of windows and deleted the PostgreSQL user that had been created during
the installation of PostgreSQL 8.0.4.
3.  Finally, I removed all garbage left by the uninstaller in the registry.
4.  I restarted windows.

I have to stress that I did not have any other software installed on
windows at the moment and I had the Windows firewall service disabled.

So I tried to install the new version 8.1.0-2 but got an error.  I tried
at least 15 times and I always got the same error.  The error was
manifesting itself during the installation as follows:

************************************************************
During the "Activating procedural languages" installation
part, I get:

"Failed to connect to the database.  Procedural
languages files are installed, but are not activated in
any databases."

When I press OK it continues and I get:

"server closed the connection unexpectedly
This probably means the server terminated
abnormally before or while processing the request."

When I press OK again, it continues and I get:

"Failed to connect to the 'template1' database.  Contrib
files are installed, but are not activated in any databases."

Pressing OK for a final time gives me this:

"could not send startup packet: Connection reset by
peer (0x00002746/10054)"
**************************************************************

I uninstalled the 8.1.0-2 PostgreSQL which was not working and I tried
to install again the 8.0.4, as someone in the novice mailing list
suggested.  The 8.0.4 installer worked fine and I had PostgreSQL 8.0.4
up and running in no time.

Then I uninstalled 8.0.4 and tried to install 8.1.0-2 for a last time.
The same errors appeared once again.

After another suggestion from someone in the novice mailing list, I
tried to reinstall the 8.0.4 and use the upgrade script of 8.1.0-2 to
upgrade to the required version without using the installer. That worked
fine and I had 8.1.0-2 up and running.

*************************************************************
If that is not a bizzare behaviour of the installer, what is?
*************************************************************

So I suggest that you, the developers of the windows installer, have a
serious look in the way the installer works and see if that is a bug of
the installer.  If it is I am sure you will fix it in no time.

The same problem appeared when some people I know tried to install
PostgreSQL 8.1.0-2 as well. But they did not have the time nor the
inclination to make this known to the public by posting to the mailing
lists.

I urge you to take this mail seriously because it may be that this
installation problem is more spread than we think of.

Thank you for your time and I hope I will hear from the people involved
in the development of the PostgreSQL Windows Installer very soon.

____________________________________________________________________
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