Step By Step Installing and Configuring MySQL on Windows XP

1. Download MySQL Setup from http://dev.mysql.com/downloads
2. After downloading, Run the Setup.
3. Select Typical or Complete or General based on your personal need.
4. Most user may opt for Typical.  Check it and Click Next.
5. The Setup would run and the finally wizard would request you to

• Configure the MySQL Now
• Register the Product Now

 6. Check the Configure MySQL Now Checkbox and Uncheck the Registering the Product Now Checkbox.
7. This launches Microsoft Server Instance Configuration Wizard for Configuring MySQL.
8. Most user may go for Standard Configuration. Click Next.
9. Choose Install As Windows Service. Select a Service Name(MySQL is by default, so leave as it is) Check Lauch the MySQL Server Automatically as window starts up.
10.  If you wish to access MySQL from Command Prompt, Select Include Bin Directory in Windows PATH. Click Next.
11. Select Modify Security Settings Checkbox(it would be selected by default) and choose a password. You may leave it blank, if there is no security concern for you.
12. For security reasons, uncheck Enable root access from remote machine and Create An Anonymous Account.
13. Click Next to finish the setup.

To Access MySQL From Command Prompt:

To access MySQL from Windows Commond Prompt follow the steps:

1. Go to the bin directory of where MySQL is installed in your system and type mysql 

          eg: C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.1\bin>mysql
 
     2. Type the user name and password to access mySQL.