Install mysql-server from ports on FreeBSD

Installing mysql on FreeBSD from ports is one of the oddest installations I’ve ever completed. Here’s the step by step:

Get it compiled:

# portinstall mysql50-server
-- OR --
# make -C /usr/ports/databases/mysql50-server install clean

Once it’s installed, copy my-small.cnf, my-medium.cnf or my-huge.cnf to /usr/local/etc/my.cnf:

# cp /usr/local/share/mysql/my-small.cnf /usr/local/etc/my.cnf

Enable mysql in the rc.conf:

# echo "mysql_enable=\"YES\"" >> /etc/rc.conf

Install the authentication tables:

# mysql_install_db

Last, change the ownership on MySQL’s data directory:

# chown -R mysql:mysql /var/db/mysql

If you miss the last step, you’ll get something ugly like this:

mysqld started
[ERROR] /usr/local/libexec/mysqld: Can't find file: './mysql/host.frm' (errno: 13)
[ERROR] /usr/local/libexec/mysqld: Can't find file: './mysql/host.frm' (errno: 13)
[ERROR] Fatal error: Can't open and lock privilege tables: Can't find file: './mysql/host.frm' (errno: 13)
mysqld ended