PHP and MySQL Error

This article specifically applies if your Dreamweaver cannot see the tables in your MySQL database or you are getting the error "Client does not support authentication protocol requested by server; consider upgrading MySQL client" when you look at a php page in a web browser served from a Windows 2000, XP or 2003 Server.

Whenever I am re-installing my computer and need to re-install php for development I need to make this change. It is a complete pain in the butt, but since Dreamweaver doesn't support any new connection types I am stuck having to hunt through the internet for the fix below. So I just thought, hey why not just compile the fix so next time I don't need to dig and dig for it.

Without further ado...

Log into the MySQL server from DOS. So that means login to the physical machine that is running the MySQL database. To do this, click Start then Run. Change the directory to where you MySQL bin is.

For example:

cd c:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin

Then log into the MySQL Server shell.

For example:

c:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.0\bin\mysql -u root -p

From here you will see

mysql>

Now all you need to type is:

mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR 'root'@'localhost' = OLD_PASSWORD('password');

NOTE: Make sure you end the above with a ";"!!! Then hit "ENTER" on your keyboard. If it works you will see:

Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.01 sec)

And presto change-o you can now log into your server without getting that error!