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References: <19392-d713ae74a25d81de@postgresql.org>
From: "David G. Johnston" <david.g.johnston@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 23:43:40 -0700
Message-ID: <CAKFQuwYb54KmC3LXzOVsHNcGht8QqfekVFouza=hj6J7ny=yWA@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: BUG #19392: PG_UPGRADE is non-functional on Windows
To: "jeff.laing@spatialnetworx.ai" <jeff.laing@spatialnetworx.ai>, 
	"pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org" <pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org>
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On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, PG Bug reporting form <noreply@postgresql.org=
>
wrote:

> The following bug has been logged on the website:
>
> Bug reference:      19392
> Logged by:          Jeff Laing
> Email address:      jeff.laing@spatialnetworx.ai
> PostgreSQL version: 18.1
> Operating system:   Windows 11
> Description:
>
> After struggling with it for a while, I=E2=80=99ve come to the conclusion=
 that
> PG_UPGRADE is not functional on Windows.


This is a very hard to accept premise and this bug report doesn=E2=80=99t s=
upport
it.


>
> This results in command-lines that look like:
>
>         "C:/postgresql16/bin/pg_ctl" -w -l
> "C:/postgresql18/data/pg_upgrade_output.d/20260204T130353.043/log/pg_
> upgrade_server.log"
> -D "C:/postgresql16/data" -o "-p 5432 -b " start >>
> "C:/postgresql18/data/pg_upgrade_output.d/20260204T130353.043/log/pg_
> upgrade_server_start.log"
> 2>&1
>
> connection to server at "localhost" (::1), port 5432 failed: fe_sendauth:
> no
> password supplied
> could not connect to source postmaster started with the command:
> "C:/postgresql16/bin/pg_ctl" -w -l
> "C:/postgresql18/data/pg_upgrade_output.d/20260204T130353.043/log/pg_
> upgrade_server.log"
> -D "C:/postgresql16/data" -o "-p 5432 -b " start
> Failure, exiting
>
> Note the quoting around the -o, -p and -b arguments.
> There should perhaps be TWO double-quotes after -o or it should not be
> present.
> There should not be a double-quote after -b


Showing the log files generated by the startup attempts would be helpful.
Your guess here regarding how the =E2=80=9C-o=E2=80=9D argument=E2=80=99s v=
alue behaves is
incorrect, the quotes are precisely where the documentation says they
should be.  They should result in something like: =E2=80=9C=E2=80=A6/postgr=
es -p 5432 -b=E2=80=9D
as a subprocess of the pg_ctl command which is valid.


> The problem appears as far back as the 16 sources.
>
>
It seems even more unlikely that if this were the underlying cause it would
have gone undetected for two full releases.

We will need a reproducing bug report with the commands issued and logs
generated.

David J.

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On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, PG Bug reporting form &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:n=
oreply@postgresql.org">noreply@postgresql.org</a>&gt; wrote:<br><blockquote=
 class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc soli=
d;padding-left:1ex">The following bug has been logged on the website:<br>
<br>
Bug reference:=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 19392<br>
Logged by:=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Jeff Laing<br>
Email address:=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 <a href=3D"mailto:jeff.laing@spatialnetw=
orx.ai">jeff.laing@spatialnetworx.ai</a><br>
PostgreSQL version: 18.1<br>
Operating system:=C2=A0 =C2=A0Windows 11<br>
Description:=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 <br>
<br>
After struggling with it for a while, I=E2=80=99ve come to the conclusion t=
hat<br>
PG_UPGRADE is not functional on Windows.</blockquote><div><br></div><div>Th=
is is a very hard to accept premise and this bug report doesn=E2=80=99t sup=
port it.</div><div>=C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"m=
argin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<br>This results in command-lines that look like:<br>
<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 &quot;C:/postgresql16/bin/pg_ctl&quot; -w -l<br=
>
&quot;C:/postgresql18/data/pg_<wbr>upgrade_output.d/<wbr>20260204T130353.04=
3/log/pg_<wbr>upgrade_server.log&quot;<br>
-D &quot;C:/postgresql16/data&quot; -o &quot;-p 5432 -b &quot; start &gt;&g=
t;<br>
&quot;C:/postgresql18/data/pg_<wbr>upgrade_output.d/<wbr>20260204T130353.04=
3/log/pg_<wbr>upgrade_server_start.log&quot;<br>
2&gt;&amp;1<br>
<br>
connection to server at &quot;localhost&quot; (::1), port 5432 failed: fe_s=
endauth: no<br>
password supplied<br>
could not connect to source postmaster started with the command:<br>
&quot;C:/postgresql16/bin/pg_ctl&quot; -w -l<br>
&quot;C:/postgresql18/data/pg_<wbr>upgrade_output.d/<wbr>20260204T130353.04=
3/log/pg_<wbr>upgrade_server.log&quot;<br>
-D &quot;C:/postgresql16/data&quot; -o &quot;-p 5432 -b &quot; start<br>
Failure, exiting<br>
<br>
Note the quoting around the -o, -p and -b arguments.<br>
There should perhaps be TWO double-quotes after -o or it should not be<br>
present.<br>
There should not be a double-quote after -b</blockquote><div><br></div><div=
>Showing the log files generated by the startup attempts would be helpful.=
=C2=A0 Your guess here regarding how the =E2=80=9C-o=E2=80=9D argument=E2=
=80=99s value behaves is incorrect, the quotes are precisely where the docu=
mentation says they should be.=C2=A0 They should result in something like: =
=E2=80=9C=E2=80=A6/postgres -p 5432 -b=E2=80=9D as a subprocess of the pg_c=
tl command which is valid.</div><div><br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_q=
uote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1e=
x">
<br>
The problem appears as far back as the 16 sources.<br><br>
</blockquote><div><br></div><div>It seems even more unlikely that if this w=
ere the underlying cause it would have gone undetected for two full release=
s.</div><div><br></div><div>We will need a reproducing bug report with the =
commands issued and logs generated.</div><div><br></div><div>David J.</div>=
<div><br></div>

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