Title: Database Connection Problem (password ?)
Last modified: August 18, 2016

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# Database Connection Problem (password ?)

 *  [thornomad](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thornomad/)
 * (@thornomad)
 * [20 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/database-connection-problem-password/)
 * Hi,
 * I am relatively new and this (and even newer with my Mac X.4.3).
 * I have followed [http://maczealots.com/tutorials/wordpress/](http://maczealots.com/tutorials/wordpress/)
   guide for installing PHP/mySQL. I believe to have the foundation established 
   correctly (if I run a test PHP page, I get the right output). I have a database
   created called ‘wordpress’. I have changed my wp-config.php file to define the
   name, user (as root), and my password (which works in the shell command). the
   host is set to localhost.
 * However, when I go to install.php, I get an “Error establishing a database connection”.
 * I am running mySQL 4.1.15 — I have read of some people warning against using 
   anything about 4.0, however, I could get any of the downloaded files from mySQL
   to install from 4.0 and went with 4.1. I also have read the Install_Guide on 
   the codex and tried to use the suggestion for enabling correct permissions … 
   however, I can’t get the code to run correctly: after the “GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES”
   and “IDENTIFIED BY” code, I don’t get an OK — I get another “->”.
 * So: I guess I am sort of lost as to what I should do.
 * do you have any suggestions ?
 * Thank you!
 * Damon
 * PS: I don’t know if it was clear or not, but I am doing a local installation —
   I want to test it out and get it running before I put it live. Thanks!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [emorgoch](https://wordpress.org/support/users/emorgoch/)
 * (@emorgoch)
 * [20 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/database-connection-problem-password/#post-281586)
 * Firstly, I’d create a new user in your database just for wordpress to use, and
   grant them full permissions on the wordpress database. Secondly, MySQL 4.1 uses
   a different password ‘format’ compared to 4.0 by default, so what you need to
   do is specify that you want to use the old pass word. Do this by gettng into 
   the MySQL console, and then set the password to the old format by using:
    mysql
   > SET PASSWORD FOR -> ‘some_user’@’some_host’ = OLD_PASSWORD(‘newpwd’);
 * That should take care of it.
 *  Thread Starter [thornomad](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thornomad/)
 * (@thornomad)
 * [20 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/database-connection-problem-password/#post-281677)
 * Thank you thank you!
 * I didn’t create new user — I used “root” — because I don’t know how to do that.*
   smiles sheepishly* However, I typed in the bit of code you suggested and wa la!
   It works.
 * thank you!
 * I feel really inadequate at this SQL server side stuff and unix commands … is
   there a good book (or is it really even necessary) that would help me use WordPress
   better ?
 * Damon
 *  [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/)
 * (@moshu)
 * [20 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/database-connection-problem-password/#post-281678)
 * If it’s up and running – all you need is the [Codex](http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page)
 *  [emorgoch](https://wordpress.org/support/users/emorgoch/)
 * (@emorgoch)
 * [20 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/database-connection-problem-password/#post-281700)
 * Second option: Go [here](http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/index.php) and put
   PHPMyAdmin on your webserver. It’ll give you a reasonable GUI interface to perform
   tasks with, such as creating new databases, making new users, etc.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Database Connection Problem (password ?)’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [installation](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/installation/)
 * [MySQL](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/mysql/)
 * [php](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/php/)

 * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/)
 * 4 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [emorgoch](https://wordpress.org/support/users/emorgoch/)
 * Last activity: [20 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/database-connection-problem-password/#post-281700)
 * Status: not resolved

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