MySQL Reference Manual for version 4.0.18.

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2.2.1.3 Preparing the Windows MySQL Environment

If you need to specify startup options when you run the server, you can indicate them on the command line or place them in an option file. For options that will be used every time the server starts, you will find it most convenient to use an option file to specify your MySQL configuration. This is true particularly under the following circumstances:

On Windows, the MySQL installer places the data directory directly under the directory where you install MySQL. If you would like to use a data directory in a different location, you should copy the entire contents of the `data' directory to the new location. For example, by default, the installer places MySQL in `C:\mysql' and the data directory in `C:\mysql\data'. If you want to use a data directory of `E:\mydata', you must do two things:

When the MySQL server starts on Windows, it looks for options in two files: The `my.ini' file in the Windows directory, and the `C:\my.cnf' file. The Windows directory typically is named something like `C:\WINDOWS' or `C:\WinNT'. You can determine its exact location from the value of the WINDIR environment variable using the following command:

 
C:\> echo %WINDIR%

MySQL looks for options first in the `my.ini' file, then in the `my.cnf' file. However, to avoid confusion, it's best if you use only one file. If your PC uses a boot loader where the C: drive isn't the boot drive, your only option is to use the `my.ini' file. Whichever one you use, it must be a plain text file.

An option file can be created and modified with any text editor, such as the Notepad program. For example, if MySQL is installed at `D:\mysql' and the data directory is located as `D:\mydata\data', you can create the option file and set up a [mysqld] section to specify values for the basedir and datadir parameters:

 
[mysqld]
# set basedir to your installation path
basedir=D:/mysql
# set datadir to the location of your data directory
datadir=D:/mydata/data

Note that Windows pathnames are specified in option files using forward slashes rather than backslashes. If you do use backslashes, you must double them.

Another way to manage an option file is to use the the WinMySQLAdmin tool. You can find WinMySQLAdmin in the `bin' directory of your MySQL installation, as well as a help file containing instructions for using it. WinMySQLAdmin has the capability of editing your option file, but note these points:

Now you are ready to test starting the server.


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