Description:
MySQL 5.1.24 introduced an important change for windows users:
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/news-5-1-24.html
"
Important Change: Security Enhancement: On Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, a user without administrative privileges does not have write permissions to the Program Files directory where MySQL and the associated data files are normally installed. Using data files located in the standard Program Files installation directory could therefore cause MySQL to fail, or lead to potential security issues in an installed instance.
To address the problem, on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, the datafiles and data file configuration are now set to the Microsoft recommended AppData folder. The AppData folder is typically located within the user's home directory.
"
I think the installer/config wiz. should clearly inform the user of this fact. Also, it should allow the user to choose a custom data directory. I mean, certainly on a server system, admins should be able to choose whatever directory and they are probably installing it as local admin anyway. Forcing people to change the dir, even to a recommended one, shows little consideration for those admins that built backup scripts and such relying on some location that makes more sense in their environment.
Also, the COnfig wizard suggests that the Innodb datafiles will be placed in the "Installation path" by default. Since the data dir and program dir are now by default separate, this becomes confusing. I think it should say "Data directory" or something like that.
How to repeat:
install fresh 5.1.24 >= on windows using the wizard. Observe that we can choose the program dir, but not the data dir.
Suggested fix:
TO the setup wizard, in the screen where we can choose the program dir:
- Add a warning so user is made aware of change of data dir explictly
- Add file browse function to override the default data dir
TO the config wizard oin the screen where the innodb data files an be placed:
- Change the default text "Installation Path" to "Data directory"
