MySQL Bugs: #36563: add warning about virus scanners to the manual

Bug #36563	add warning about virus scanners to the manual
Submitted:	7 May 2008 12:12	Modified:	29 Jul 2008 10:21
Reporter:	Axel Schwenke	Email Updates:
Status:	Closed	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server: Documentation	Severity:	S3 (Non-critical)
Version:		OS:	Windows
Assigned to:	MC Brown	CPU Architecture:	Any

Description:
Quite often we get support requests or even bug reports for MySQL users on Windows running into trouble when (online) virus scanners are running on folders containing MySQL data files or temporary files.

How to repeat:
bug reports connected to virus scanners:

http://www.google.com/search?q=virus+scan+site%3Abugs.mysql.com

Suggested fix:
The manual should contain instructions to disable virus scanners for the MySQL datadir. Users should be encouraged to use a separate tmpdir for MySQL (to avoid disabling virus scanner for the system tempdir).

I agree we should say something about virus scanners in the Installing chapter, mentioning the main problems you could run into (file access or network access denied). I disagree, though, to go into any detail - there are too many different virus scanners out there.

Stefan,
I did not suggest to go into details regarding the virus scanner software itself. But we should go into details as far as the MySQL server is concerned. For most users it will be obvious that mysqld.exe will create files in the datadir. It is less obvious that files will be created in tmpdir which is by default the system tempdir.

I also think many administrators will be reluctant to exclude the system tempdir from virus scanning. So we should tell them that they can configure a tmpdir for mysqld.exe and exclude only that from the virus scanner.

A warning and notes on temporary and data directories and exclusions from virus scanning tools have been added to the Windows part of the documentation.