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10.3. Configure Service

Use this tab to configure the Windows service that starts and stops the MySQL server and to set server options. This tab is specific to MySQL servers running under operating systems of the Windows NT family, including Windows 2000, and Windows XP; it is not available for servers running under a different operating system. Obviously, you need to have a Windows service installed before you can configure it. See Starting MySQL as a Windows Service, for more information on how to set up a Windows service.

Note that if you have more than one MySQL server running as a Windows service, you should run MySQL Administrator in configure-service mode to administer these services. In normal mode, you can only administer the Windows service listed first in the Windows service manager, no matter which server you are connected to.

Note that the settings in the Server Features group take effect only after restarting the MySQL server.

The following settings are available:

  • Service Settings

    • Launch MySQL server automatically: If checked, the Windows service starts the MySQL server automatically on operating system startup.

    • Display Name: The display name of the Windows service (not the service name!) as it will appear in the Windows services manager when displaying the properties of that service.

    • Service Description: The description of the Windows service as it will appear in the Windows services manager.

  • Option File

    • Config Filename: You can enter the path name of the server option file. MySQL will enter that information in the Windows registry, and the Windows service starting the MySQL server will use that file, rather than the default file (C:\windows installation directory\my.ini). Note that this is available for MySQL servers as of version 4.0.3 only. See Creating an Option File, for details about the server option files.

    • Section Name: Setting a value other than mysqld is most useful when running multiple servers; see Running Multiple Servers on Windows.

  • Server Features

    Note that all server features will only take effect after the MySQL server has been restarted.

    • Support for InnoDB: If checked, the MySQL server is started with support for InnoDB tables. If unchecked, it doesn't start the InnoDB storage engine; this saves memory, but InnoDB tables cannot be used. If this checkbox is unchecked and grayed out, it means that your MySQL server isn't compiled with support for InnoDB tables. (This is, for example, true for some versions that run under a commercial license.) For more information on InnoDB tables, see Storage Engines.

      Be careful when disabling this option! If any databases on the MySQL server contain InnoDB tables, disabling this option makes those tables inaccessible.

    • Support for BDB: If checked, the MySQL server is started with support for BDB tables. If unchecked, it doesn't start the BDB storage engine; this saves memory, but BDB tables cannot be used. If this checkbox is unchecked and grayed out, it means that your MySQL server isn't compiled with support for BDB tables. (This is, for example, true for nonmax versions.) For more information on BDB tables, see Storage Engines.

      Be careful when disabling this option! If any databases on the MySQL server contain BDB tables, disabling this option makes those tables inaccessible.

    • Named Pipes: On operating systems of the Windows NT family, including Windows 2000, and Windows XP, you may use named pipes to connect to a MySQL server running on the local machine, rather than connecting via TCP/IP. If this option is checked, named pipe connections are allowed. Note that named pipes are slower than TCP/IP in many Windows configurations. See Selecting a MySQL Server Type.

    • Debug Information (slow): If checked, the MySQL server is started with an option that allows for easier debugging of problems. Using this option slows down the server significantly, so it is recommended only for debugging purposes. If the MySQL server has not been compiled with debugging support, this option is grayed out. See Server Command Options.

    • Path to Binary: Contains the path name of the MySQL server binary file as it is listed in the Windows service manager (for example C:\mysql\bin\mysqld-max-nt). Note that the Windows service manager does not display the .exe extension.