MySQL Bugs: #47259: Autonomous updating with installer

Bug #47259	Autonomous updating with installer
Submitted:	10 Sep 2009 20:05	Modified:	11 Sep 2009 7:39
Reporter:	Martijn Saly	Email Updates:
Status:	Verified	Impact on me:	None
Category:	MySQL Server: Installing	Severity:	S4 (Feature request)
Version:	5.1.x	OS:	Windows
Assigned to:		CPU Architecture:	Any

Description:
It's kind of a shame that the automated installer doesn't do the update process. Instead, it seems to want to perform a separate install.

It should give the option to either install a separate install, OR do an automated update of the selected instance(s).

A small update shouldn't need to touch any databases. If it were to overwrite anything, manual labor is required afterwards. That's also true for the system service. I set it to start in the context of a restricted user, so removing and re-adding it requires me to redo those settings. It shouldn't be neccesary.

I'm certain a fully autonomous updater is very well possible, seeing MSSQL service packs have been able to do this for years. A small version increase is no different.

How to repeat:
Install a previous release of MySQL 5.1
Assume the automated install can do an update and run it.

Suggested fix:
Built fully autonomous update capability into the automated win32/win64 MSI package. Let the user select to either install a separate instance, or auto-update the selected instance(s).

This is related to discussions here:
http://bugs.mysql.com/bug.php?id=46258

Peter
(not a MySQL person)

This:

"It should give the option to either install a separate install, OR do an automated update of the selected instance(s)."

is a reasonable feature request, indeed.