What Is pg_ctl.exe? Is It A Virus Or Malware? Uninstall?

What is pg_ctl.exe?

pg_ctl.exe is an executable exe file which belongs to the pg_ctl – starts/stops/restarts the PostgreSQL server process which comes along with the PostgreSQL Software developed by PostgreSQL Global Development Group software developer.

If the pg_ctl.exe process running in the Windows Operating system is important, then you should be careful while deleting it. Sometimes pg_ctl.exe process might be using CPU or GPU too much. If it is malware or a virus, it might be running in the background without you knowing it.

The .exe extension of the pg_ctl.exe file specifies that it is an executable file for Windows Operating Systems like Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.

Malware and viruses are also transmitted through exe files. So we must be sure before running any unknown executable file on our computers or laptops.

Now we will check if the pg_ctl.exe file is a virus or malware. Whether it should be deleted to keep your computer safe? Read more below.

Is pg_ctl.exe safe to run? Is it a virus or malware?

Let’s check the location of this exe file to determine whether this is legit software or a virus. The location of this file and dangerous rating is.

File Location / Rating: C:Program FilesPostgreSQL9.2bin

To check whether the exe file is legit you can start the Task Manager. Then click on the columns field and add Verified Signer as one of the columns.

Now, look at the Verified Signer value for pg_ctl.exe process if it says “Unable to verify” then the file may be a virus.

File Name	pg_ctl.exe
Software Developer	PostgreSQL Global Development Group
File Type	EXE
File Location	C:Program FilesPostgreSQL9.2bin
Software	PostgreSQL

 

Over All Ratings for pg_ctl.exe : 4/5

Next, check the developer of pg_ctl.exe. If the developer of the software is legitimate, then it is not a virus or malware. If the developer is not listed or seems suspicious, you can remove it using the uninstall program.

Based on our analysis, we have displayed our result of whether this pg_ctl file is a virus or malware below.

How to check if pg_ctl.exe is a security issue?

We also recommend using the Security task manager application to find which processes are unwanted in your Windows computer and can be a security issue. Here is how you can find whether pg_ctl.exe is a security threat using the Security Task Manager application.

1. Download the Security Task Manager application and install it on your computer.
2. Run it as administrator. It will now show all the applications that are running on your computer.
3. Now it will show the Rating, file location, company, and product name for each process.
4. Now click on the rating column to sort based on ratings.
5. You will now see which process has the worst rating easily so can decide pg_ctl.exe is given a bad rating or not easily.
6. You will also find whether the pg_ctl.exe process is important or not with this feature. Here is a screenshot of the software running on our windows computer.

How To Remove or Uninstall pg_ctl.exe

To remove pg_ctl.exe from your computer do the following steps one by one. This will uninstall pg_ctl.exe if it was part of the software installed on your computer.

1. If the file is part of a software program, then it will also have an uninstall program. Then you can run the Uninstaller located at directory like C:Program Files>PostgreSQL Global Development Group>PostgreSQL >pg_ctl – starts/stops/restarts the PostgreSQL server> pg_ctl.exe_uninstall.exe.
2. Or the pg_ctl.exe was installed using the Windows Installer then to uninstall it Go to System Settings and open Add Or Remove Programs Option.
3. Then Search for pg_ctl.exe or the software name PostgreSQL in the search bar or try out the developer name PostgreSQL Global Development Group.
4. Then click on it and select the Uninstall Program option to remove pg_ctl.exe file from your computer. Now the software PostgreSQL program along with the file pg_ctl.exe will be removed from your computer.

How do I stop pg_ctl.exe process?

In order to stop the pg_ctl.exe process from running you either have to uninstall the program associated with the file or if it’s a virus or malware, remove it using a Malware and Virus removal tool.

Is pg_ctl.exe a Virus or Malware?

As per the information we have the pg_ctl.exe is not a Virus or Malware. But a good file might be infected with malware or a virus to disguise itself.

Is pg_ctl.exe causing High Disk Usage?

You can find this by opening the Task Manager application (Right-click on Windows Taskbar and choose Task Manager) and clicking on the Disk option at the top to sort and find out the disk usage of pg_ctl.exe.

Is pg_ctl.exe causing High CPU Usage?

You can find this by opening the Task Manager application and finding the pg_ctl process and checking the CPU usage percentage.

How to check GPU Usage of pg_ctl.exe?

To check pg_ctl.exe GPU usage. Open the Task Manager window and look for the pg_ctl.exe process in the name column and check the GPU usage column.

I hope you were able to learn more about the pg_ctl.exe file and how to remove it. Also, share this article on social media if you find it helpful.

Let us know in the comments below if you face any other pg_ctl.exe related issues.