Re: Unable to uninstall postgres from Add/Remove programs

On 8/04/2010 2:01 PM, Jeffrey Ottery wrote:
> Running Windows XP Pro. Have been successfully using and deploying
> postgres for 2 years.
>
> When I try to Uninstall PostgreSQL 8.3 using Windows Add/Remove
> Programs I get this message:
>
> Service "PostgreSQL Database Server 8.3' (pgsql-8.3) failed to start.
> Verify that you have sufficient privileges to start system services.

One must wonder why the uninstaller wants to *start* the postgresql service.

I don't suppose you know whether you installed with the "One Click"
installer or the msi installer from postgresql.org ? If there's no
reference to EnterpriseDB anywhere in the documentation and the Start
menu entry for PostgreSQL doesn't have a "StackBuilder" it's probably
the MSI installer.

> I have tried the following:
>
> Created and logged on as various users as members of Administrators
> group.
> Deleted the 'postgres' user (is this a problem?)
> Removed all references to postgres in the registry. Rebooted
> Removed the PostgreSQL Service from the service list. (sc delete
> pgsql-8.3)
> Deleted the whole Postgres 8.3 directory in Program Files.
>
> I have worked on this for 6 hours today to no avail. GRRRR.
>
> Desperate for some suggestions??

As a last resort you can manually uninstall Pg. You're half-way there
already :S

Make sure no Pg processes are running, then *delete* the program
directory. Then clean up the registry entries Windows uses to track
program installations to get rid of the add/remove programs entry:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310750

now open the Start menu, right click on "All programs", choose "explore
all users", find the Postgresql folder and delete that too.

I don't think Pg scatters too much through the Windows registry, so if
you've removed the uninstall entry, the program files, the start menu
entries, the user account and the service definition you should be ok.

--
Craig Ringer