Problem Installing PostgreSQL 12.1 Win8.1: "the database cluster initialisation failed"

Question

I'm getting an error at the end of installing PostgreSQL 12.1 which is "the database cluster initialisation failed"

I have been searching all the day, so here what I tried:

1- Run the installation file as Administrator: didn't work.

2- Change the directory of "Data" to different place other than C:: didn't work.

3- Changed the whole installation directory to C:\Postgre or F:.... : didn't work

4- Turned off the KasperSky antivires: didn't work

5- Checked if there is an old Postgre user: not found

I checked the log file and I found the following :

Script output:
WScript.Shell Initialized...
Scripting.FileSystemObject initialized...
Called CreateDirectory(F:\PostgersSql\data)...
Called CreateDirectory(F:\PostgersSql)...
Called ClearAcl (F:\PostgersSql\data)...
Executing batch file 'rad712E9.bat'...
Called Die(Failed to reset the ACL (F:\PostgersSql\data))...
Failed to reset the ACL (F:\PostgersSql\data)

Any one can tell me what is causing this error?

Answer 1

your having an ACL error Access Control List so this is windows security issue

try turning off UAC

if that fails try running initdb manually C:\pathtoPosgresq\Bin\initdb -D path\to\data\

doing this manually make sure postgres.conf has the correct path to the directory its located in the data directory and you may need to adjust the service registry entries to the correct database path or just start postgresql manually

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/creating-cluster.html https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/server-start.html