I try to upgrade my MySQL server from 4.018 to 4.1.10a.
Firstly, I downloaded mysql-4.1.10a (not the essential one) for win XP
Then I install the new version after the old version was uninstalled.

After the installation process, Instance Configurator comes up to help for the configuration.
But an error occured when it try to start the MySQL service.
Error messageis "cannot create windows service for MySQL. Error:0"

So my MySQL server cannot be started. It is running win XP on my computer.
Does anybody can tell me what is wrong?.

Thanks (sorry for my bad english)

    [/tab]This is a known problem. Do you remember how you'd to create a MySQL Service and specify a common windows service name for MySQL when you setup 4.018 ? When you simply uninstall MySQL, it removes the present installation - without terminating the service. Under such circumstances, the original .exe file that runs as the windows service doesn't get deleted, and still keeps loading/running in the background. When you try to install a newer version over it, the running service prevents the .exe being overwritten and this generates that error message you're getting.

[tab]Your simplest way out, is to re-install the old MySQL again, use it to Stop and Disable the Service and then uninstall it. Next install the newer version.

    Second method: Goto Control Panel > Administrative Options > Services. From the list of services, find out the MySQL service and Stop It. Then Disable it from running for good. Next go to the mysql installation directory and remove it entirely. Now you can install the new version without a hitch.

Give it a try and let me know if you succeeded. All the best

There's a related topic that may be useful:
http://www.astahost.com/index.php?showtopic=3430&hl=

It's not only the MySQL server, it php also...

check my post there

I did stop the MySQL service before I uninstall it.
After it was uninstalled, MySQL service was deleted as well.

but taht error message still keep coming up.

So, I opened regedit, and deleted all entries which contain the word "MySql".

then, it works.

Why dose the MySQL uninstaller not just delete those entries.
are those entries keeped for any purpose?

If you are on XP with NTFS partitions and service pack 2, things wont work as they used to.

Everything that needs to be uninstalled must have the ownership set to your current logon account and all of the related files (exes and registry) must not be in use or running before they can be deleted or overwritten.

If you are in NTFS system, try to create 2 accounts in windows. One is an admin and one is an ordinary user. Install Microsoft office using the admin account and logoff.

Logon using the normal account and use "microsoft photo editor" which is the standard photo editor of MSoffice. You will then notice that you cannot open any files using that program since the registry is locked to the admin account.

***********

hope this helps.

After banging my head against my keyboard until the S, Q, and L keys sprang out like shrapnel I finally figured out what the problem is and how to solve it.

I was using the MySQL 4.1.11 Installer on my Window XP computer. After the installation completed the installer automatically jumped into the MySQL Server Instance Config Wizard. When the wizard tried to complete the configuration the “Error: Cannot create Windows service for MySQL. Error: 0,” popped up. This is a Windows System Error.

What is happening is a preinstalled MySQL service is installed and recognized in the Windows background. Weather or not it is disabled the operating system will not allow another MySQL service to be installed. To verify this you can check the Services. Do this by clicking on the…

> “Start Menu”
> “Control Panel”
> “Administrative Tools”
> “Services”

The services are listed alphabetically. Scroll down to find MySQL. If you find it you have found your problem. (Incidentally, while I was in here I right-mouse-clicked on the service and opened properties, stopped the service and then disabled the service. The problem still didn’t go away and my head-banging-against-keyboard started up again.) The solution is to remove the service, but there is no option for that in the Services window. To delete the service you need use the command prompt. Start the command prompt by clicking on the….

> “Start Menu”
> “All Programs”
> “Accessories”
> “Command Prompt”

This will bring up the Command window. To delete the MySQL service type the following…

sc delete mysql

…and hit the enter key. If it is successful the Command Prompt window will give the following feedback.

[SC] DeleteService SUCCESS

For trivia’s sake what you communicate through the Command Prompt window when you type this is…

• sc = you contact a command line program used for communicating with the NT Service Controller and services
• delete = deletes a service from the registry
• mysql = the service that gets deleted

What you do next depend on weather MySQL is still installed. If you didn’t uninstall MySQL click on the…

> “Start Menu”
> “All Programs”
> “MySQL”
> “MySQL Server 4.1”
> “MySQL Server Instance Config Wizard”

Run through the Config Wizard. MySQL should set up with out any problems.

If you already uninstalled MySQL then run though the installer and things should work out.

solution to MySql problem: cannot start service error 0
Error In Installing MySQL Server

This problem usually occurs when you reinstall MySql.

Solution:

1)delete the current installation(windows users go to control panel, then add or remove programs, then select MySql and delete it).
2)Restart.
3)Even though you have uninstalled the software, MySql keeps some files of previous installation. Just go to the directory where MySql was previously installed and delete the entire folder.(Windows users , go to the see:\program files, delete MySql folder. In some cases MySql may have been directly installed in see drive, delete the MySql folder from see drive in this case).
4)install MySql once again.
You wont get service cannot be started error 0 this time. Enjoy!


-ash_still_there