Installing and Configuring MySQL Server

MySQL Server allows you to develop and test programs that use databases. You might already have MySQL Server installed on your system. If you're not sure, you can check your programs list to see if you have "MySQL".

If you have MySQL Already Installed

If you have not installed MySQL, skip this section and go to the next section.

If you already have MySQL installed, and you installed it recently (in the last few months) then make sure your installation includes MySQL Workbench (it should be an item in the MySQL programs menu).

If you have MySQL Workbench, you're all set: you just need to make sure you know your server's root password (you set this up during the installation process. if you've lost your root password, you'll need to uninstall MySQL Server and re-install it again following the steps below.

If you don't have MySQL Workbench installed, you can install it separately here.

If you installed MySQL more than a few months ago, check the version number: the latest version of MySQL Server Community edition is 8.0.x. If yours is older than that, you should uninstall it and re-install the latest version using the instructions below.

To uninstall MySql, go to Control Panel > Programs and Features and uninstall EVERYTHING to do with MySql - even the MySql Installer.

Once you've uninstalled everything related to MySql, do a registry clean. You'll probably need to download a program to do this, such as AusLogics Registry Cleaner. or CCleaner.

Make sure that you don't install anything extra when you install a free application - many of those installers try to trick you into installing extra things you don't want. READ the screens!!!

After you've cleaned your registry, restart your computer, and then proceed to install MySql Server.

If you DO NOT have MySQL Installed

If you have MySQL already installed, skip this section.

Preparing for Installation

There are 2 phases to setting up MySQL server: Installation and Configuration. Both phases are done in a single installation wizard. The instructions below take you through this process step by step. Screen shots have been included for several steps, but have not been included for steps that don't require a lot of action on your part.

Make sure you READ and follow the instructions carefully!!

If you encounter any problems during the installation and setup, ask your professor in class or during email (if emailing, be sure to send a screen shot and full description of the problem).

Download the Installation File

Go to the Download MySQL Installer page.
Click the "Go to Download Page" button.

Scroll down to select your operating system.
Scroll down to the MySQL Installer downloads and select the version you want:
- Choose the mysql-installer-web-community version if you are always connected to the Internet
- Choose the mysql-installer-community version if you are not always connected to the Internet
Select your preferred installer.
Next page asks you to log in or sign up: you don't need to, just look farther down and click the "No thanks, just start my download" link.

Click the link, don't worry about logging in or signing up.
Save the file to your computer.

The Installation Phase

Go find the file you just downloaded and run it. This begins the installation of MySQL Server.
When prompted, accept the license agreement and click the NEXT button.
Choosing a Setup Type screen: select "Custom" and then click the NEXT button.

Select the Developer Default installation.
The next screen asks you to select the products and features you wish to install. Items are categorized inside expandable nodes. To locate an item to install, you simply expand the nodes until you find it (e.g. to find the server program, expand "MySQL Servers", then expand "MySQL Server", then expand "MySQL Server 8.0". To add an item to your installation, select it (e.g. MySQL Server 8.0.13) and then click the right-pointing arrow button to move it to the list of "Products/Features to be Installed".

Expand nodes to locate items to install. Select items and click the right-pointing arrow button to add them to the installation list.

Add the following to your install list:
- MySQL Servers > MySQL Server > MySQL Server 8.0 > MySQL Server 8.0.xx (xx = whatever the current update # is)
- Applications > MySQL Workbench > MySQL Workbench 8.0 > MySQL Workbench 8.0.xx
- MySQL Connectors > Connector/J > Connector/J 8.0 > Connector/J 8.0.xx
- Optional: if you want, you can also add the Samples and Examples under the Documentation node (might be useful for doing extra practice exercises).
Add the three items listed above to your install list.
Once you have those three items selected, click the NEXT button.
The next screen just lists all the components that are going to be installed. Click the EXECUTE button.

A list of the items you are about to install.
When completed, there will be green checkmarks beside each component that was successfully installed.

A list of the successfully installed components. Installation phase is complete.
This completes the installation phase. Click the NEXT button to move on to the configuration phase.

The Configuration Phase

The next set of screens take you through the configuration phase.

Click the NEXT button to begin configuring MySQL Server.

Type and Networking - second screen: Once again, just leave the defaults as they are and click the NEXT button. The defaults should already be set to:
- Config Type: Development Machine
- Connectivity: check TCP/IP and check "Open Windows Firewall ports for network access"
- Port number: 3306
Leave the defaults and click the NEXT button
Authentication Method - On this screen, we need to set the authentication method used to authenticate users. The default "Use String Password Encryption..." should already be selected (if not, select it).

Select the recommended default for authentication
Accounts and Roles: this screen asks you to set your root account password and add any other accounts you might need (you can add more accounts later, too). Here will will configure 2 accounts: a Root Account and an Admin Account.
- First, you must enter a password for the ROOT ACCOUNT. Keep this password handy and don't lose it: you'll need it later.
- If you ever forget the password, you will have to uninstall and reinstall MySQL.
  
  Add a password for the ROOT ACCOUNT. Don't lose this password!
- Next, we will add an Admin account that we can use in Database applications. Click the ADD USER button in the bottom half of the screen.
- Fill in the account information for the Admin account:
  - Username: Admin
  - Host: <All Hosts (%)>
  - Role: DB Admin
  - Password/Confirm Password: make a new password, don't forget!! This is the password for the ADMIN ACCOUNT.
  Add information for the ADMIN ACCOUNT. Don't lose the password!
- Click the OK button. You should then see your new Admin account in the User Accounts list in the bottom half of the screen.
Note

A Root account is used to manage and configure the database server. An administrator account is a less powerful account that manages databases, user accounts for certain databases, and other database-specific tasks. Often the root account and admin account are used by the same person, but sometimes with larger databases there is one root account and several other users with admin abilities. We will use the Root account when we manage the server on our own machines, but we will use the Admin account for a few demonstration applications (you should never use the root account on public applications). Later we'll create a "guest" user that has very little access, and an actual user account that has the ability to read records and edit their own information.
Windows Service screen: this screen allows you to configure MySQL Server as a service.
- Check "Configure MySQL Server as a Windows Service"
- Windows Service Name: leave the default MySQL80 or change it if you want.
- The checkbox "Start the MySQL Server at Startup" - it's up to you if you want to check this or not.
  - Checked: The server will always start up when your computer starts up. This comes in handy if you don't want to bother always starting it up manually, but it does take up processing power when you're not using it . If your computer is a couple of years old or less powerful, you might want to uncheck this.
  - Unchecked: you will start the server manually whenever you need to use it. Instructions on how to do this are further down.
- Under "Run Windows Service as..." select "Standard System Account" (if you know what this is about, feel free to change your selection).
  
  Configure MySQL Server as a Windows Service
- Click the NEXT button.
Apply Configuration screen: This lists the series of steps the installation program will perform in order to update your configuration changes so far. Click the EXECUTE button.
You'll see it working its way through each step, just wait until it's finished. Once all steps have been completed, click FINISH button.

The MySQL Server configuration is complete once all the steps have been performed.
When the configuration has completed successfully, you'll see the list of checked-off items marked as completed. Click the FINISH button.

Once the configuration is complete, click the FINISH button.
You might now see the Product Configuration Screen once more. If so, click the NEXT button.
Note that if you installed the samples and examples, there might be a couple more screens. They're straightforward, but do ask your professor if you encounter any difficulty.
The last screen indicates that you've finally completed the installation and configuration of MySQL Server! Make sure the checkbox "Start MySQL Workbench after Setup" is checked.

You're finally finished!! MySQL Server is now installed and configured, along with several of its components.

Setting Up a Connection in Workbench

Now that you've installed MySQL Server and Workbench, Workbench should be running. If not, start it now.

When you start Workbench for the first time, you probably see a blank screen like the one below:

your server instance that's running on your machine should appear — You should see the instance currently running on your machine.

If you don't see the current instance, click the link in the middle of the page that says "Rescan Servers". Your instance should then appear.

If your server instance still doesn't appear, add it manually using the instructions below.

DO NOT follow these instructions unless you do not see a server instance already!

Click the plus sign icon beside the text "MySQL Connections".
In the Setup New Connection dialog box, enter a name for the connection (e.g MySQL8) and then click the Test Connection button.
You will be prompted for your root password that you entered when you installed MySQL Server.

enter a name for your new connection — Enter a name for your connection and then click the Test Connection button before clicking OK.

Once you've entered your password, you should see a message that the test was successful. Then you can click the OK button in the Setup New Connection dialog.

You should now see a connection on your Workbench screen.

Using the Connection

Once you have a connection appearing on your screen, click it to use it. You will be prompted for the root password you entered when you installed and set up MySQL Server.

Once you've logged into your server instance, you'll see the screen where you can add databases and tables, add/edit users, back up your databases, etc.