Installing MySQL on Windows

In this section you will learn how to install MySQL 5.0 on windows system. The MySQL 3.21 was the first version for the windows.

Installing MySQL on Windows

Installing MySQL on Windows

     

In this section you will learn how to install MySQL 5.0 on windows system. The MySQL 3.21 was the first version for the windows. Windows installer of MySQL includes auto installer with Configuration Wizard that support for easy installation.

MySQL Installing packages
The MySQL Installing packages comes in three flavors, you can choose any of the Installer package as per your requirements and your expertise level. These packages are:

  1. The Essential package
    The  Essential package has a Similar filename to MySQL-essential-5.0.25-win32.msi and it contains the minimum set of files needed for installation MySQL on Windows, including the Configuration Wizard except embedded server and benchmark suite. This package is recommended most of the users as the user can  install multiple instances of MySQL on a single server host and the advanced user can complete control over server configuration.
      
  2. The Complete package
    The complete package has all the needed files that are required for windows installation including configuration wizard, embedded server and bench mark suite. This package has a similar filename to  MySQL 5 . 0 . 25- win32 zip . For using it, your system must have a tool that can unpack .zip files. 
     
  3. The Noinstall Archive
    The Noinstall archive package has a similar filename to mysql-noinstall-5.0 .25 -win32 . zip. This package contain all the needed set of  files  for a complete installation wizard excluding all the configuring wizard. This package has a facility of  installing manually not automatically. For using this package, there must be a tool for unpacking .zip files in your system. 

Downloading MySQL 

The latest version of MySQL can be downloaded from http://www.mysql.com. In this tutorial we are using mysql-essential-5.0.24a-win32.msi, which is the latest version of MySQL at the time of writing the tutorial. You download the windows installer from http://www.mysql.com and save on your hard disk.

Understanding the MySQL Installation wizard
MySQL Installation Wizard uses the new installer technologies for Microsoft Windows. And that?s why it is an installer for MySQL server. This MySQL installation wizard is combined with the MySQL configuration wizard which allows user to install and configure a MySQL server, and it can be used immediately after installation. MySQL provide the standard installation for all MySQL Server distribution or higher version 4. 1. 5 . In this version MySQL need to shout down and remove their existing MySQL installation and manually installation before the MySQL wizard.  This installation process use of this technology to provide a smoother and flexible process.

MySQL Installing Type
There are three type of MySQL Installation:-

  • Typical 
    This MySQL installing process install the  MySQL server,command- line client and command line utilities. This command line and command client included in mysqldump, myisamchk and several tools to manage the MySQL Server.
      
  • Complete
    By this installation type we install all the component included in the installation package. And this package include the component such as support script, the embedded server library. MySQL complete installer also included the benchmark suit and documentation.
      
  • Custom
    MySQL is use Custom installation type command that provide you the complete control over package that you want to install and also the installation path.
    If you choose the Custom type then you can change the installation path or components , which is installed by Installation Wizard

MySQL Installation Wizard made some Changes
MySQL installation wizard can begin the process of installation only after clicking the Install button and make some changes to your system that describe in the following section -

Change to the Registry:
MySQL installation wizard generate one windows registry key in the situation of typical installation, that is located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MySQL AB.
MySQL Wizard generates a key that is named after the major version of server which has been installed, like MySQL Server 5.0. It has two String values one is Location and another is Version. The location has the path to installation directory. And the version has the release number.

MySQL used these registry keys to help external tools to identifying the installed location of the MySQL server. This Registry keys does not required to run server and you want to install MySQL using the noinstall zip archive, then the registry keys are not created .

Change to the Start Menu:
MySQL installation  wizard create a new entry in the start menu windows. This MySQL menu heading named after the major version of MySQL that you have to installed. There are some entries are created with in the new start menu section :

MySQL command Line Client: This is shortcut for the MySQL command - line client and is configured to connect the root user. The shortcut prompts for a root user password when  you connected .
  
MySQL server instance configuration wizard: 
This is a shortcut for the Configuration wizard . For configuring the new server or reconfiguring the existing server you can use this shortcut.
 
MySQL Documentation: MySQL Documentation is the link to the MySQL Server documentation and it is stored in the installation directory. But if you have installed the Essential installation package then this option is not available.
 
Change to  the file System: 
By default the MySQL server installs to C:\Program File\MySQL Server 5.0 location. On a developer machine a typical MySQL installation can be look like this :

C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0
C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Administrator 1.0
C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Query Browser 1.0

MySQL Testing the Installation 

C:\> "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin\mysqlshow"
C:\> "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin\mysqlshow" -u root mysql
C:\> "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin\mysqladmin" version status proc
C:\> "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin\mysql" test

MySQL Downloading and Installing wizard
This installation package can be download from http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/. But you have to extract this zip archive first.
If there is setup.exe is available then double click on this file for starting the installation. But if there is an .msi available then double click on this