Tryst with WordPress

It took me a long time to install my local copy of wordpress.

Problem: For some reason the PHP install failed to recognise the existence of mysql on my machine and gave the following error “Your PHP installation appears to be missing the MySQL”.
Environment: Apache 2.2 on Windows XP, PHP 5, MySQL 5
Solution: Make sure the extension=php_mysql.dll is commented out in php.ini and that the extension dir variable in php.ini is amended from “./” to “C:/PHP/ext”. Also please ensure the php_mysql.dll is copied to system32 folder in windows and its location is explicitly added to the PATH environment variable. Then it should work straight away. I had few other trivial errors but I will let your ambitious self sort them out.

About andhapp

Namastey (Hello) Stranger, This is not the geekiest blog on the planet yet it is not the dumbest one either. I am a small time developer who likes to explore new technologies. I usually program in Java, Groovy and Ruby and take keen interest in the surrounding geeky developments.
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11 Responses to Tryst with WordPress

  1. Mr WordPress says:

    Hi, this is a comment.
    To delete a comment, just log in, and view the posts’ comments, there you will have the option to edit or delete them.

  2. Anand says:

    Man!.Thanks a lot. I have been spending about 5 hrs with this problem
    and the various solutions.This worked like a Charm

  3. andhapp says:

    No problems mate…it is frustrating sometimes tbh.

  4. John says:

    I still cannot get wordpress to notice mysql. I’m running IIS on xp pro, got
    frustrated with that and installed apache, still no luck.
    The correct lines are uncommented in the ini file.
    It’s pointng to the correct ini file.
    Using username: root, host:localhost.

    do I need to do something special in mysql to add root to the wordpress db?

  5. andhapp says:

    Have you actually added the location of “php_mysql.dll” to the PATH environment variable…I think you need to do that..

    Also, can you please leave a breakdown of the steps you have taken to install this… i know it is frustrating…alrighty…and I can certainly help you out on this one as I spent days trying to figure out what was wrong…

    andHapp

  6. John says:

    Great, thanks in advance for your help.
    Here is what I have done so far:
    1. Installed Apache
    2. Installed PHP
    3. Installed MySql
    4. Created a DB called wordpress
    5. modified wp-config.php with the values of the database “wordpress” with
    root user as the user.
    6. Modified the php.ini file located in the php directory by uncommenting the
    lines for extension=php_mysql.dll and extension=mysqli.dll
    7. Modified the php.ini file so that extension_dir points to c:\program files\php\\ext
    8. added the php_mysql.dll to system32
    9. added a path environment variable to c:\windows\system32

    I thought maybe it was a permissions error, so I tried to grant permission
    to the root user to the wordpress db this morning, now I cannot log into mysql
    with the root user, I’m sure that’s not helping anything. :)

    I’m brand new to Apache/PHP/MySql, been stuck in Microsoft land for years.
    It’s nice to have that “noobie” feeling again… :\

  7. andhapp says:

    I think I know what the problem might be:

    Have you actually added php_mysql.dll explicitly to the PATH global variable… just by adding c:\windows\system32 might not work…try stating the location of that file in the PATH variable…and don’t copy the php_mysql.dll to system 32 just leave it in the ext directory in your php installtion folder…and specify this location with the name of the file in the PATH variable something like:
    c:\program files\php\ext\php_mysql.dll

    For MySQL issue go here:
    http://lists.mysql.com/mysql/171366

    and once you have done all this…restart all your servers Apache and MySQL…say your last prayers and try the address in your browser…GOOD LUCK

    I have always been an open source guy still climbing the ladder…the curve is extremely steep…still trying….

  8. John says:

    Ok, I just did as you suggested, and unfortunately that didn’t work. I did however
    notice that in the php.ini file there is a second “extension_dir” variable.
    When this variable is set to look in the same extension_dir as the first
    (“C:\Program Files\PHP\ext”) then Apache throws a multitude of errors, it
    can’t find a bunch of dll’s, namely because they dont’ exist in that directory.
    I wonder if this second extension_dir in the php.ini file is fouling up my install?

  9. John says:

    also, the php.info page doesn’t show any mysql info, though it all seems to be installed correctly.

  10. John says:

    Ok, solved my problem.
    I downloaded the wampserver from http://www.wampserver.com
    After I installed it initially, it didn’t work, still the same error as before.
    I uninstalled, then deleted all the Apache, PHP and MySql folder on my computer.
    I reinstalled Wamp, and it worked beautifully. No more troubles.
    I think it was a file that wasn’t getting overwritten properly in the install.

    Thanks again for your help!

  11. andhapp says:

    Ok good that it worked…sometimes these are just trivial issues but they take up so much time messing the schedule completely…best of luck for the future…

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