I read the FAQ. Something else may be not known? I have been banging my head against the wall for days. I can not get Postgre to start. This case is the same whether or not Postgre runs as a service or as a stand-alone. I am running Windows 7 Professional Edition ( that means NTFS permissions ) HERE IS MY CASE. I HAVE Portable - PostgreSQLPortable-9.4.1.paf SITUATION OFF - FIREWALL OFF - ANTIVIRUS OFF - MICROSOFT SECURE ESSENTIALs INSTALL PostgreSQLPortable-9.4.1.paf ON HERE C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4 PUT PERMISSIONS WINDOWS 'USERS' GROUP FULL PERMISSIONS ON HERE C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4 RUN "C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4\App\PgSQL\bin\initdb" -U postgres -A trust -E utf8 --locale=C 1>nul THIS WORKS CREATES data DIR C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4\Data\data WINDOWS 'USERS' GROUP has FULL PERIMISSIONS on this FOLDER ( I CHECKED AND VERIFIED ) RUN C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4\App\PgSQL>"C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4\App\PgSQL\bin\pg_ctl" -D "C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4\Data\data" -l "C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4\Data\log.txt" -w start DOTS SLOWLY INCREASE, BUT RESPONSE HANGS FOREVER waiting for server to start......................................... LOG (log) C:\Users\AnonymousUser\Downloads\PostgreSQLPortable-9.4\Data SHOWS LOG: database system was shut down at 2015-04-27 17:14:40 CDT LOG: database system is ready to accept connections LOG: autovacuum launcher started LOG: could not receive data from client: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. LOG: incomplete startup packet LOG: could not receive data from client: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. LOG: incomplete startup packet LOG: could not receive data from client: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. LOG: incomplete startup packet LOG: could not receive data from client: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. LOG: incomplete startup packet Any Ideas? -- View this message in context: http://postgresql.nabble.com/How-do-I-install-run-PostgreSQL-9-4-64-bit-on-Windows-7-Professional-tp5847018.html Sent from the PostgreSQL - admin mailing list archive at Nabble.com. -- Sent via pgsql-admin mailing list (pgsql-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx) To make changes to your subscription: http://www.postgresql.org/mailpref/pgsql-admin