Python testing.postgresql error: The program "postgres" is needed by initdb

Question

We have some python unit tests that use testing.posgresql, however I cannot get them to work for me on my machine (Windows 10). I get the above error about initdb needing postgresql but not being able to find it in the same directory. I can confirm they are both in the bin directory of the PostgresSQL installation, and I get the same error when trying to run initdb directly while in that directory. The bin and lib directories for this installation are also both in my path, and I get the correct location when running which initdb or which postgres I've tried a handful of things including all solutions proposed in threads with similar issues but nothing worked, it works on macOS and our github workflow. I have PostgresSQL 14 installed and I am using cygwin (although the exact same error appears when run in windows cmd), any help is appreciated.

Output when running initdb from the bin directory of the Postgres installation:

$ ./initdb -D example
The system cannot find the path specified.
child process exited with exit code 1
initdb: error: The program "postgres" is needed by initdb but was not found in the
same directory as "C:/Program Files/PostgreSQL/14/bin/initdb.exe".
Check your installation.

But a simple ls shows postgres.exe is indeed there:

$ ls
clusterdb.exe   icutu67.dll            libiconv-2.dll       libxslt.dll            pg_dump.exe               pg_restore.exe       psql.exe                           wxmsw313u_core_vc_x64_custom.dll
createdb.exe    icuuc67.dll            libintl-9.dll        oid2name.exe           pg_dumpall.exe            pg_rewind.exe        reindexdb.exe                      wxmsw313ud_aui_vc_x64_custom.dll
createuser.exe  initdb.exe             liblz4.dll           pg_amcheck.exe         pg_isolation_regress.exe  pg_test_fsync.exe    stackbuilder.exe                   wxmsw313ud_html_vc_x64_custom.dll
dropdb.exe      isolationtester.exe    libpgtypes.dll       pg_archivecleanup.exe  pg_isready.exe            pg_test_timing.exe   vacuumdb.exe                       wxmsw313ud_xrc_vc_x64_custom.dll
dropuser.exe    libcrypto-1_1-x64.dll  libpq.dll            pg_basebackup.exe      pg_receivewal.exe         pg_upgrade.exe       vacuumlo.exe                       zic.exe
ecpg.exe        libcurl.dll            libpq_pipeline.exe   pg_checksums.exe       pg_recvlogical.exe        pg_verifybackup.exe  wxbase313u_vc_x64_custom.dll       zlib1.dll
icudt67.dll     libcurl.lib            libssl-1_1-x64.dll   pg_config.exe          pg_regress.exe            pg_waldump.exe       wxbase313u_xml_vc_x64_custom.dll
icuin67.dll     libecpg.dll            libwinpthread-1.dll  pg_controldata.exe     pg_regress_ecpg.exe       pgbench.exe          wxbase313ud_net_vc_x64_custom.dll
icuio67.dll     libecpg_compat.dll     libxml2.dll          pg_ctl.exe             pg_resetwal.exe           postgres.exe         wxmsw313u_adv_vc_x64_custom.dll

Answer 1

I am unable to comment on your post: However I have been attempting to install PostgreSQL 14 on my server, which is already running PostgreSQL 12. I see the same error, related to 'radEA2DE.bat'. here is the relevant block of code from my installation log:

Called IsVistaOrNewer()...
    'winmgmts' object initialized...
    Version:10.
    MajorVersion:10
Granting full access to Administrators on (D:\pgData14)
    Executing batch file 'radEA2DE.bat'...
    processed file: D:\pgData14
Successfully processed 1 files; Failed processing 0 files

    Executing batch file 'radEA2DE.bat'...
    initdb: error: The program "postgres" was found by "C:/Program Files/PostgreSQL/14/bin/initdb.exe"
but was not the same version as initdb.
Check your installation.

Called Die(Failed to initialise the database cluster with initdb)...
Failed to initialise the database cluster with initdb

Script stderr:
 Program ended with an error exit code

Error running C:\WINDOWS\System32\cscript //NoLogo "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\14/installer/server/initcluster.vbs" "NT AUTHORITY\NetworkService" "postgres" "****" "C:\Users\USER\AppData\Local\Temp/postgresql_installer_3f464cf94c" "C:\Program Files\PostgreSQL\14" "D:\pgData14" 5433 "DEFAULT" 0: Program ended with an error exit code
Problem running post-install step. Installation may not complete correctly
 The database cluster initialisation failed.
Setting variable whoami from C:\WINDOWS\System32\whoami 
Script exit code: 0

I hope this helps with lending a clue.