Re: BUG #4966: wrong password.....

The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 4966
Logged by: walkerlacombe
Email address: swarloka(at)hotmail(dot)com
PostgreSQL version: 8.0
Operating system: vista home premium
Description: wrong password.....
Details:

when i boot up my pc i have owner and postgresql as users.for postgresql i
need a password. now when i downloaded postgresql i had to make 2 passwords.
now , when i try to get into the postgresql user it tells me that the
password is the wrong one.i have both of them and they don't work. in other
words i have no access it what so ever. so how do i retrieve thw password
that does work?

Hi,

"walkerlacombe" <swarloka(at)hotmail(dot)com> writes:
> Operating system: vista home premium
> Description: wrong password.....
> Details:
>
> when i boot up my pc i have owner and postgresql as users.for postgresql i
> need a password. now when i downloaded postgresql i had to make 2 passwords.
> now , when i try to get into the postgresql user it tells me that the
> password is the wrong one.i have both of them and they don't work. in other
> words i have no access it what so ever. so how do i retrieve thw password
> that does work?

Would we consider providing a documentation section explaining how to
change pg_hba.conf to trust, reload, change password, get back to saner
HBA if needed?

This question is a such a FAQ that it deserves a place in the docs, I
think. Is there a counter-argument (security based or anything) to add
this, maybe in the tutorial part, a new Authenticating section between
Architectural Fundamentals and Creating a Database?

--
dim

On Thu, 2009-08-06 at 11:22 +0200, Dimitri Fontaine wrote:

> Would we consider providing a documentation section explaining how to
> change pg_hba.conf to trust, reload, change password, get back to saner
> HBA if needed?
>
> This question is a such a FAQ that it deserves a place in the docs, I
> think.

Sounds like a _REALLY_ good idea to me.

I almost wonder if Pg on Windows needs a "safe mode" where it's launched
with an alternate pg_hba.conf that trusts postmaster on 127.0.0.1,
rejects *all* other logins, and doesn't listen on any external
interfaces. People seem to lose passwords a _lot_ .

Some info in the docs on changing/deleting the Pg service account might
also not be a bad idea.

--
Craig Ringer

Craig Ringer <craig(at)postnewspapers(dot)com(dot)au> writes:
> On Thu, 2009-08-06 at 11:22 +0200, Dimitri Fontaine wrote:
>> Would we consider providing a documentation section explaining how to
>> change pg_hba.conf to trust, reload, change password, get back to saner
>> HBA if needed?
>>
>> This question is a such a FAQ that it deserves a place in the docs, I
>> think.

> Sounds like a _REALLY_ good idea to me.

I'd bet this has nothing to do with the OP's problem, though.

> Some info in the docs on changing/deleting the Pg service account might
> also not be a bad idea.

That might...

regards, tom lane

Dimitri Fontaine wrote:

> This question is a such a FAQ that it deserves a place in the docs, I
> think. Is there a counter-argument (security based or anything) to add
> this, maybe in the tutorial part, a new Authenticating section between
> Architectural Fundamentals and Creating a Database?

Well, if it's a FAQ, why not add it to the, err, FAQ? I just did:
http://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/FAQ#I_lost_the_database_password.__What_can_I_do_to_recover_it.3F
Please expand on the answer; it is currently very brief.

This FAQ could really use some love.

--
Alvaro Herrera http://www.CommandPrompt.com/
PostgreSQL Replication, Consulting, Custom Development, 24x7 support

"walkerlacombe" <swarloka(at)hotmail(dot)com> wrote:

> PostgreSQL version: 8.0
> Operating system: vista home premium

While Alvaro has very kindly added something to the "Frequently Asked
Questions" (FAQ) page which might help you:

http://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/FAQ#I_lost_the_database_password.__What_can_I_do_to_recover_it.3F

you should be aware that the above is not a supported environment.
Note that on the Windows download page:

http://www.postgresql.org/download/windows

It says, "Only PostgreSQL 8.2 and above are supported on Windows."

It might be best to go to 8.3 or 8.4, though. Each new major version
contains significant improvements.

-Kevin