MySQL - recreate default mysql database

Question

For whatever reason, the "mysql" database on my windows mysql installation has been deleted. I now have a mysql install that cannot start because the system database is missing, but I cannot find any documentation on recreating this database.

How do I recreate the mysql database (with users) on Windows?

Answer 1

Reinstall MySQL.

Here's an sql dump from my mysql table: http://www.box.net/shared/js92gum4gh.

Answer 2

On Unix, you would move your existing database data directory out of the way and run mysql_install_db. Unfortunately, according to the MySQL documentation, you don't have this command on Windows. It claims it is unnecessary because Windows distributions include preinitialized mysql and test databases. This would seem to suggest that you do need to reinstall MySQL.