Problems with Postgresql 7.4.1

Hello I am running cygwin and Windows XP and get the following error.

$ /usr/bin/psql -x  -E -l

********* QUERY **********

SELECT d.datname as "Name",

       u.usename as "Owner",

       pg_catalog.pg_encoding_to_char(d.encoding) as "Encoding"

FROM pg_catalog.pg_database d

  LEFT JOIN pg_catalog.pg_user u ON d.datdba = u.usesysid

ORDER BY 1;

**************************

ERROR:  parser: parse error at or near "("

$ /usr/bin/psql -V

psql (PostgreSQL) 7.4.1

contains support for command-line editing

$ initdb -V

initdb (PostgreSQL) 7.4.1

I can get into psql but any command such as \dt etc also results in parse error.

Any help would be appreciated,

Rgds,

Mary.