cannot start mysql 5.1 windows service under normal user account

Question

MySQL 5.1 service can start under Local System account or Administrator User account.
But MySQL 5.1 service cannot start under normal user account.

It gives:

Error 1067:The process terminated unexpectedly.

What could be the issue?

Answer 1

First step will be to check the permissions: Does the user you want to run MySQL have all the necessary access rights?

Answer 2

Let's make sure mysqld can run properly apart from the service.

First thing is to locate the program mysqld.exe

If you installed MySQL using the MSI, try the following:

C:\> cd C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL 5.1\bin
C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL 5.1\bin> start mysqld

mysqld will look for the default my.ini in the parent folder C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL 5.1

Look in Task Manager under the Processes Tab. mysqld should be there.

If it is there, then mysqld is working properly. This also reveals that the service is not installed correctly.

I recommend this way because I have stopped using the MSI versions of MySQL installation because of issues that this one. I use the ZIP File no-install version and I have set up DOS batch files to start up mysqld like this.

Answer 3

To startMySQL service under normal user account, user must have permission to start that service. User should be at least Standard User. Restricted user doesn't have sufficient permission to start service.

I can solve doing following steps:

1. Create a new user group. eg. MySQL_Admins

2. Create a new user. eg. Mysql_user

3. Add Mysql_user under MySQL_Admins group.

4. Edit registry key permission a. Give 'Full Control' Permission to MySQL_Admins Group for HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MySQL

   b. Give 'Full Control' Permission to MySQL_Admins Group for HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services

   c. Give 'Full Control' Permission to MySQL_Admins Group for HKLM\SOFTWARE\MySQL AB

5. Add following file security permission to MySQL_Admins Group on C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.1(MySQL Installation Path)
   a. Read & execute
   b. List folder contents
   c. Read

6. Add Full control security permission to MySQL_Admins Group on MySQL Data Directory (You can find in my.ini file)
   Windows XP
   datadir="C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/MySQL/"

   Windows Server 2008
   datadir="C:/ProgramData/MySQL"

7. Chage Log On as properties for MySQL Service to Mysql_user.
   MySQL Service > Properties > Log On > This account > Select Mysql_user

8. Log Off Admin account

9. After Log On again, MySQL Service will be started under Mysql_user User Name.

Answer 4

The most important thing is giving security permissions to normal user on MySQL Data folder.
Here is another simple way to solve the problem.

1. Create a new user group. eg. MySQL_Admins
2. Create a new user. eg. Mysql_user
3. Add Mysql_user under MySQL_Admins group.

4. Add following security permissions to MySQL_Admins on MySQL Data folder (you can find it in my.ini file)
   Windows XP
   datadir="C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.1/data"

   Windows Server 2008
   datadir="C:/ProgramData/MySQL/MySQL Server 5.1/data"

   a. Read & execute
   b. List folder contents
   c. Read
   d. Write

5. Chage Log On as properties for MySQL Service to Mysql_user.
   MySQL Service > Properties > Log On > This account > Select Mysql_user

6. Start MySQL Service