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Download: dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/5.0.html

Online Reference Manual: dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql/en/index.html

MySQL will be installed as a service which will start up with Windows. It is recommended you accept most of the defaults although I did check in the "Include Bin Directory in Windows Path" checkbox (which allows Windows to find executables from the command line if you choose to run it that way occasionally) and you should add a password when given the opportunity. You should configure your firewall to accept the port(usually port 3306).

Grab your favorite MySQL manual and create a database and some tables from the command line. If you're not in love with command line programming give the MySQL Administrator below a try.

Download: dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/j/5.1.html

The Java-MySQL Connector allows standard Java JDBC commands to access the database. As of Spring, 2008, the current connector is 5.1.6.

Download and unzip the file linked above. Copy the mysql-connector-java-5.1.6-bin.jar to the following folder in the Java home directory: C:Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_06\jre\lib\ext. Then add the jar to the “Classpath” variable in the System environmental variables (Control Panel --> System --> Advanced --> Environmental Variables). Your addition should read something similar to: C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_06\jre\lib\ext\mysql-connector-java-5.1.6-bin.jar

Download: dev.mysql.com/downloads/gui-tools/5.0.html

Online documentation for the tools: dev.mysql.com/doc/

To properly administer a MySQL database you can download or buy the 800+ page manual (listed under MySQL above) or you download and use the MySQL Administrator. The Administrator works on MySQL versions above 4.0. With the Administrator's GUI interface you can create databases, tables and columns much faster than entering arcane SQL commands in a DOS command box. You can also use it to export databases to other team members on a project. The MySQL Query Browser is also very handy for checking changes to your database during code testing. Once you create a database query you can retrieve it from the history and run it as needed.

The interfaces are pretty intuitive but the online instructions are easy to follow if you need some help.

These GUI tools will be set up in a sub-directory call MySQL TOOLS within the MySQL directory. If you're desktop-oriented as I am, right-click the various EXE's and create short-cuts on the desktop.