MS SQL and MySQL errors on Install (1 Viewer)

[abrogard]

I'm trying to install MediaPortal for the first time and it gets to a certain point and then it tells me it can't log in to my database servers.

Of which I'm fairly ignorant.

But I have MS SQL Server 2005 and MySQL 5.

I don't really understand MediaPortal Installer's screen at that point - the details of which database, the host, the 'dependency' , the 'schema' etc.

Okay, it's all prefilled for MS SQL and that'd be fine if it would connect but it can't.

So then I guess I need to refill and point it to MySQL might get around the problem. But that's when I don't know what to write in the fields.

So back to MS SQL and try to get it working.

I find the SQL manager in Control Panel and I see that SQL Server 2005 (SQLExpress) is Stopped but SQL server Browser is running.

I try to start SQLExpress but it won't start.

I look in the application event log and see that it couldn't write/read some files such as 'master.mdf' - access denied.

That's all I know.

This is the 'one click' installation I'm trying to do.

Could anyone help me with a bit of direction or explanation of likely causes of this, course of action I should take?

regards,

ab

 

[mm1352000]

Hello abrogard

I'm trying to install MediaPortal for the first time and it gets to a certain point and then it tells me it can't log in to my database servers.

Okay.

I don't really understand MediaPortal Installer's screen at that point - the details of which database, the host, the 'dependency' , the 'schema' etc.

The purpose of the screen is to configure a database connection. The database stores all your tuner, channel, recording and schedule details.
Hostname = the name or IP address of the PC which the database engine is installed on (do not use localhost, static IP address is recommended)
Dependency = the name of the database service (eg. SQLExpress, MySQL5)
Schema name = enter any value you like
User ID = enter the name of a DB user account
Password = enter the password for the user account

If you did a one-click install I think MySQL 5 is installed by default. Default user ID and password to use for MySQL when installed by the MP installer is root and MediaPortal (case sensitive).

Okay, it's all prefilled for MS SQL and that'd be fine if it would connect but it can't.

Based on what you said about not being able to start SQLExpress, this is going to be harder. I'd use MySQL.

So then I guess I need to refill and point it to MySQL might get around the problem. But that's when I don't know what to write in the fields.

If MySQL was installed by the MP installer it should be quite straightforward, as above.
Hostname = the name or IP address of the PC
Dependency = MySQL5
Schema name = (doesn't matter)
User ID = root
Password = MediaPortal

You shouldn't have to change anything.



mm

 

[abrogard]

Thanks for your help. I'll try again as soon as I get to that machine. But MySQL was not installed by MP, it was installed by myself a long time ago. I run IIS and have various little bits of php code for local forms (i.e. when others are logging into my machine) input that use MySQL.

From what you've said it looks like I maybe only have to change the password and I think I can recover that - it is written in clear in some of that code I think (all of that was done literally years ago and I haven't looked at it since).

 

[mm1352000]

From what you've said it looks like I maybe only have to change the password and I think I can recover that - it is written in clear in some of that code I think (all of that was done literally years ago and I haven't looked at it since).

All you need is a user/pass combination for an account that has the ability to create new schemas. You don't have to change the existing password. If you know what it is, just enter it as-is and MP can use it.

 

[abrogard]

Well I'm still stymied. Don't know what's wrong. Got a BSOD three times now when I went to Media Portal Config.

Got later messages (after the reboot) about debugging PCProbe so I uninstalled that but it didn't help.

So then I tried the Media Portal TV Server hoping for better luck. It led me to the DB screen again.

On that screen I chose MySql but it tells me access is denied 'for user 'root' @ 'asus' (using password: YES)'

The password is right I reckon because I log in to phpmyadmin with it and it is the password in my scripts - and anyway the message seems to indicate it has no problem with the password - just access is denied - isn't that right? And the user is right. And the name. And I tried it with the local IP: 192.168.1.101 of my machine.

It wouldn't accept 'localhost', which is what is written in the php scripts I use. I don't know why. That seems suspect to me. Asks for 'a valid hostname or IP address for the server'. 'Localhost' is written all over phpmyadmin. Kind of the title of the page.

Seems to be an access problem to me.

How to allow access? I'm afraid I don't know. I see nowhere to list progs to which I allow access. Never done that before.

 

[mm1352000]

Sorry to hear you're still having trouble. This is usually not a problem. The fact that you're trying to use an existing database can be a bit of a complication if you're not familiar with the database configuration.

Got a BSOD three times now when I went to Media Portal Config.

BSODs can be triggered by any program like MediaPortal, but the underlying cause is badly behaved drivers, operating system issues, or system instability. Nothing we can do about this.

So then I tried the Media Portal TV Server hoping for better luck. It led me to the DB screen again.

Yes, this will happen until you enter DB credentials that TV Server can use.

On that screen I chose MySql but it tells me access is denied 'for user 'root' @ 'asus' (using password: YES)'



The password is right I reckon because I log in to phpmyadmin with it and it is the password in my scripts - and anyway the message seems to indicate it has no problem with the password - just access is denied - isn't that right? And the user is right. And the name. And I tried it with the local IP: 192.168.1.101 of my machine.

I thought phpmyadmin has its own users and passwords, but it has been quite some time since I've used it.
So lets get a few things really clear.

This instance of MySQL is running on the local machine, correct?
In that case, use the IP address of the machine.

Dependency is the name of the database service. By default that is MySQL5 for MySQL 5... however if you installed as part of LAMP or XAMP or something then you should check the service name in the Windows service management console.

As above, the schema name doesn't matter.

The user and password are obviously really important. When the DB is installed by MP, the MP installer configures the settings as necessary and assigns the root user a default password, however since you're trying to use an existing database I have no idea what kind of state your DB is in.
The key requirements are:

1. You know the username and password for a user that has permission to create new schemas.
2. That user has permission to connect/log in via TCP/IP (ie. named pipes is not sufficient) from the machines you're going to use with MediaPortal.

It wouldn't accept 'localhost', which is what is written in the php scripts I use. I don't know why. That seems suspect to me. Asks for 'a valid hostname or IP address for the server'. 'Localhost' is written all over phpmyadmin. Kind of the title of the page.

MP won't accept localhost because localhost is ambiguous or incorrect in some valid MP configurations. Consider the situation where you have the database and TV Server on one machine (ie. server-only or standalone install) and are trying to use TV via MediaPortal installed on another PC or laptop (ie. a client-only install). MediaPortal on the client receives the DB connection details from the server. If you've configured the DB connection with "localhost" then that works fine on the server because the database is running on the same machine (ie. definition of localhost is "on this machine"). However, it won't work for the client because when the client attempts to connect to the DB with "localhost" it will be looking for the DB on that local client PC... which is of course wrong. Hence we block configuration using localhost.

Does that make sense?

Seems to be an access problem to me.

I agree. If you want my help to sort this I'd be happy to do that. Just set up remote access using TeamViewer and flick me a PM with the details.
http://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/windows.aspx

TeamViewer is really easy to use. No installation or configuration required. Just download and run it.

How to allow access? I'm afraid I don't know. I see nowhere to list progs to which I allow access. Never done that before.

Usually this stuff is managed using MySQL Workbench (or historically MySQL GUI Tools). As I say, I'm happy to assist with sorting stuff out but it is too time consuming for both of us to explain in forum posts. Better if you can just set up remote access and I'll walk through it with you.