2.3.1. Choosing An Installation Package
For MySQL 5.1, there are three installation
packages to choose from when installing MySQL on Windows:
The Essentials Package:
This package has a filename similar to
mysql-essential-5.1.7-beta-win32.msi
and contains the minimum set of files needed to install
MySQL on Windows, including the Configuration Wizard. This
package does not include optional components such as the
embedded server and benchmark suite.
The Complete Package: This
package has a filename similar to
mysql-5.1.7-beta-win32.zip and
contains all files needed for a complete Windows
installation, including the Configuration Wizard. This
package includes optional components such as the embedded
server and benchmark suite.
The Noinstall Archive: This
package has a filename similar to
mysql-noinstall-5.1.7-beta-win32.zip
and contains all the files found in the Complete install
package, with the exception of the Configuration Wizard.
This package does not include an automated installer, and
must be manually installed and configured.
The Essentials package is recommended for most users. It is
provided as an .msi file for use with the
Windows Installer. The Complete and Noinstall distributions are
packaged as Zip archives. To use them, you must have a tool that
can unpack .zip files.
Your choice of install package affects the installation process
you must follow. If you choose to install either the Essentials
or Complete install packages, see
Section 2.3.2, “Installing MySQL with the Automated Installer”. If you choose to
install MySQL from the Noinstall archive, see
Section 2.3.5, “Installing MySQL from a Noinstall Zip Archive”.
