Question

I installed PostgreSQL on my windows 7 desktop.

Usually PostgreSQL will create new account on my desktop, but when i want to switch user, there’s no user named postgres. Then I checked the user folder in directory “C” and there’s already a folder user named postgres.

But why can’t I log in into my desktop using postgres account?

Answer 1

The postgres account is a service account. It doesn’t have the login right, and cannot be logged into. You can use runas.exe to run commands as the PostgreSQL user account, or shift-right-click on a program and use “Run as…”.

In PostgreSQL 9.2 and above the installer puts PostgreSQL in the NETWORKSERVICE by default, so no postgres user account needs to be created.

In general, there is no need to run programs as the postgres user on Windows. Just specify the user to connect to the PostgreSQL server as, eg:

psql -U postgres -h localhost dbname