Re: stderr & win32 admin check

> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgsql-patches-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org
> [mailto:pgsql-patches-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of
> Magnus Hagander
> Sent: 14 June 2004 21:49
> To: pgsql-patches(at)postgresql(dot)org
> Subject: [PATCHES] stderr & win32 admin check
>
> The patch makes the "if user is admin" check on win32 abort
> startup, similar to unix. I know several people have said
> they think this is wrong, since the last discussion. So if
> someone wants to re-open that discussion, go ahead :-)

OK, if you insist :-)

This will prevent PostgreSQL being runable on NT4 by anyone with admin
privileges, except as a service. NT4 doesn't have runas.exe (an su/sudo
equivalent found on 2K/XP/2K3) thus preventing startup without logging
in as a different user. I would guess that users with local admin
privileges are far more common on Windows than users with root
privileges on Unix systems, so this might affect more 'normal' users.
Now I think of it, the default (and possibly only) user account on XP
Home edition has admin privileges.

I would suggest changing the error to a warning, or perhaps adding a
command line switch to 'downgrade' the error to a warning, thus forcing
an explicit action on the part of the user.

Oh, and I notice the use of the PowerUsers group - iirc, there is no
such group on NT4 domains, so the attempt to get the SID will fail.

Regards, Dave.