This MySQL 4 Windows Download Tutorial gets you started by downloading MySQL, PHP, and Apache to your Windows computer, even an old one (see FAQs for more details). You then run a simple MySQL program to test your installation.

Downloading MySQL And Other LAMP Components

This tutorial will download MySQL, PHP, and Apache to your Windows computer. It does not download Linux. You then test your MySQL installation and set up your password for the root (MySQL system administrator account).

Step 1 In Google or another search engine type easy php download and select a site. I chose the first on my list, www.softpedia.com/get/Authoring-tools/Setup-creators/EasyPHP.shtml.

Step 2 The site announces EasyPHP 2.0 Beta 1, which is not yet a stable version of PHP. Let's not take a chance and instead go for the older, stable version 1.8 Later, when you are preparing MySQL or PHP certification you will have to work with other versions. I don't think they will certify someone who refuses to do several downloads. Click the Download EasyPHP link presently in the right-hand corner of the screen about a dozen lines down from the top.

Step 3 Click the External Mirror 2 Stable link. Click to save the easyphp1-8_setup.exe file. Select the language version. (In these tutorials I use the English version, but have also worked with the French version.) Follow the on-screen directives making sure to accept the agreement. I chose to install the system (Apache, MySQL, and PHP) into the C:\Program Files\EasyPHP directory. Note carefully the directory name that you have chosen; you will refer to this directory time and time again. Once the installation was completed this folder was less than 60 Megabytes. If necessary create a program shortcut named EasyPHP and access shortcut or the EasyPHP button in Window's Task Pad to obtain the results shown in Figure 1.

MySQL Download Tutorial Figure 1
Easy PHP command post. Note that Apache and MySQL are also started.

Step 4 Now we are going to set the password for the MySQL root account, the powerful account that has essentially full permission for your MySQL installation. Click Start and then Run to obtain a screen similar to that shown in Figure 2.

MySQL Download Tutorial Figure 2
The Windows command line.

Step 5 Position yourself into the Program Files\EasyPHP\mysql\bin directory as shown in Figure 3.

MySQL Download Tutorial Figure 3
Accessing the correct directory.

Step 6 Enter the cls command to clear the screen while seeing where we are positioned. Enter the mysqladmin.exe -uroot password secret command to set the root password to secret. You may choose another password but make sure that you don't forget it. The results are shown in Figure 4.

MySQL Download Tutorial Figure 4
Setting the root password.

Step 7 Enter the cls command to clear the screen while seeing where we are positioned. Enter the mysql.exe -uroot -psecret command (replace secret by your password to connect to MySQL. Then enter Ctrl-C to exit MySQL and return to the DOS prompt in Windows. The results are shown in Figure 5.

MySQL Download Tutorial Figure 5
Connecting to MySQL.

Step 8 Reconnect to MySQL. Hint use the up arrow to access the appropriate command. Then enter the MySQL command show databases; Reenter this command without the semicolon to see what happens if you forget it. The results are shown in Figure 6.

MySQL Download Tutorial Figure 6
My first MySQL command.

Exercises. Most of our tutorial include exercises to push the envelope. But this was a big first step.