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I know that my problem is due to my carelessness and
ignorance, but I didn’t think that installing PostgreSQL would cause a state
of affairs not easily reversed. Please excuse the length of the following
narrative. When installing PostgreSQL 8.0.1 on my laptop running Windows
XP Home (SP2), I let the installer create the postgres account and generate a password.
I didn’t write down the password. I figured that if the installer was
going to generate a random password, it would store it in some configuration or
log file and not ask me for it. I was wrong. (Perhaps a warning for idiots like
me would be appropriate in the MSI installer file?) When I went to connect to
the template1 database, PGAdmin III asked me for the postgres account password,
which I was unable to provide. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem. I figured I’d
just start up Control Panel and change the postgres account password. Unfortunately,
Windows XP Home doesn’t provide any obvious tools to change a system account
password. I only know how to change user account passwords. Control Panel’s
User Accounts tool is useless for this problem. I uninstalled PostgreSQL, thinking that reinstalling it might
help. I tried removing the postgres account to no avail. My only indication
that the postgres account still exists is the Windows Services administration
utility. I know of no method to delete the account. Microsoft’s Knowledge
Base provided no help. Windows XP Professional contains a tool called Local
Users and Groups (lusrmgr.msc) that allows the administrator to change any
account’s password. Windows XP Home cannot run that program. When I reinstall PostgreSQL, I am asked for the postgres
account password. I know I could rename the postgres account name to postgres1
or something else, but I don’t know if that will create any further
issues for me. I could also upgrade the laptop’s OS to XP Pro in order to
change the postgres account password, but that feels like using a sledgehammer
to cut diamonds. I certainly bear most of the blame. It would be too easy to
bash Microsoft for this. I also wish that PostgreSQL’s installer did not auto-generate
passwords that cannot be changed. None of what I went through was necessary. If someone could tell me either how to delete the postgres
account or change its password, I would appreciate the assistance. Regards, Hagop Hagopian |
