The following bug has been logged online:

Bug reference: 2834
Logged by: Hans
Email address: hanicus@gmail.com
PostgreSQL version: postgresql-8.1.
Operating system: windows xp home
Description: installation problem
Details:

i was unable to install posgres after multiple attempts. in install would
proceed until the end, where i would get an error telling me that some
service could not be started, and that i should check to see if i had proper
access, which i did as my account is administrator. i tried some of the
ideas i read on the forum but had no success.

i then tried to install postgres on another laptop, which was provided to me
by my employer. this time i was given an error stating that i should remove
a reference to cygwin from my path, which i ignored. i proceeded with the
install and got the same error. i cleared my path to only have the minimal
items on the path, and this time the install succeeded on my work laptop.

i then attempted to do the same thing (clear the path) on my personal
laptop, and this time the install was able to finish successfully.

here is what my path was previously:

%SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\Sy stem32\Wbem;C:\Program
Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;C:\Program
Files\Java\jdk1.5.0_05\bin;%ANT_HOME%\bin

so it looks like postgres install may have a problem with either quicktime,
java, or ant. maybe this info can help other users

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