PostgreSQL 9 install on Windows: “Unable to write inside TEMP environment path.”

Question

I am attempting to install PostgreSQL 9 (postgresql-9.0.3-1-windows.exe) on my WinXP machine and get the following error at the start:

Answer 1

My solution is similiar to #5, with an Explantion of how and why McAfee ruins your vbscript registration.

Apparently, when I had McAfee antivirus software on my computer, it bashed the vbscript.dll registration that Windows Scripting Host needs to run .VBS files.

In the exported .REG file:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID{B54F3741-5B07-11cf-A4B0-00AA004A55E8}\InprocServer32] @="C:\Program Files\Common Files\McAfee\SystemCore\ScriptSn.20120327211246.dll"

That SHOULD be changed back to "C:\Windows\System32\vbscript.dll" now.

McAfee apparently installs a DLL that hijacks the vbscript.dll in order to try to protect bad scripts from running. When I uninstalled McAfee in favor of Microsoft

Security Essentials, McAfee did not restore the registry paths ("not my problem"), and the McAfee DLL, of course, was removed from the location during uninstall, so the vbscript.dll registration in fact pointed to NOWHERE and NOTHING.

There has to be a better way to write Antivirus software so that it doesn't disable the user's operating system when it is uninstalled, or when features are turned off, or replace registration. See the following:

https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB71660

I have a 64-bit OS. The registry path was changed in a number of locations.

The regular class ID should point to the "C:\Windows\System32\vbscript.dll" 64-bit file.

The "Wow6432Node" registry paths should point to the "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\vbscript.dll" 32-bit file.

Yes, the 64-bits are in the "32" folder and the 32-bits are in the "SysWOW64" folder. Microsoft didn't want to change the name of the main "System32" execution folder when it migrated to 64-bits.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID{B54F3741-5B07-11cf-A4B0-00AA004A55E8} C:\Windows\System32\vbscript.dll

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\CLSID{B54F3741-5B07-11cf-A4B0-00AA004A55E8} C:\Windows\SysWOW64\vbscript.dll

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID{B54F3741-5B07-11cf-A4B0-00AA004A55E8} C:\Windows\System32\vbscript.dll

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\CLSID{B54F3741-5B07-11cf-A4B0-00AA004A55E8} C:\Windows\SysWOW64\vbscript.dll

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID{B54F3741-5B07-11cf-A4B0-00AA004A55E8} C:\Windows\SysWOW64\vbscript.dll

Answer 2

As I was finishing off my question above, our IT chap turned up and knew what the problem was immediately: it's McAfee. It prevents anything from running in a TEMP folder, including Windows Scripting Host scripts. Disabling McAfee for the duration of the installation fixed the problem for me.

So if you see this problem, try disabling your anti-virus.

Answer 3

I had this issue when trying to install the 32 bit version on Windows 7 64 bit.

Trying the install kit for 64 bit presented no errors, but the solutions presented by others are also valid.

Answer 4

Before you start messing with the registry, check if WSH is actually disabled or not. To do that run wscript.exe in the DOS box.

If you see a dialog box called "Windows Script Host Settings", WSH is enabled, and your problem with PostgreSQL installation must be related to something else. If you get an error box that says "Windows Script Host access is disabled on this machine. Contact your administrator for details", WSH is disabled, and your problem with PostgreSQL installation may be related to it (or may be not).

For me, my problem was related to Windows script. I resolved this by right-clicking on smadav icon in the hidden icons in the task bar and checked "Allow Windows-script and Office-Macro (Permanent)". Then double click on the PostgreSQL setup again.