Let's take a moment to look at where MySQL will reside on your system. If you do not yet have MySQL installed, refer to Appendix A, "Installing MySQL." Linux/UNIX SystemsThe location of MySQL programs, libraries, and other files depends on the installation prefix used when MySQL was installed. Typically, the prefix is either /usr/MySQL or /usr/local/MySQL. In the location used on your system, you will find the following subdirectories:
The MySQL configuration file is named my.cnf. The file /etc/my.cnf contains global settings, but you can also create a file named my.cnf in the data directory that applies only to that MySQL server; it is possible to have multiple MySQL servers on one machine.
Windows SystemsThe default install location is C:\Program Files\MySQL. The system is installed in a subfolder that is named using the MySQL minor version number. For example, MySQL 5.0.18 is installed to C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0. In the version-specific install location, you will find the following subdirectories:
In the installation directory, you will also find a number of sample configuration files. The current configuration is found in my.ini located in this folder. MySQL is installed as a Windows service. To start and stop the database server, go to Control Panel, Administrativ Tools, and select Services. A program group in the Start menu contains a shortcut to the MySQL monitor program and the configuration wizard. |