How to Install MySQL Database Using Yum groupinstall on CentOS

In this article, let us review how to install MySQL on CentOS using yum. Instead of searching and installing mysql and related packages one-by-one, it is better to install MySQL using yum groups.

If you are interested in installing the full LAMP stack, refer to our earlier article on how to install/upgrade LAMP using yum.

1. Identify the Group name of MySQL Packages

yum grouplist displays all package groups that are available in the repository. As shown below, mysql package group is called “MySQL Database”.

# yum grouplist | grep -i mysql
   MySQL Database

2. What is bundled in the “MySQL Database” group?

yum groupinfo displays all the packages that are bundled in a group. This displays the mandatory, default and optional packages that are available in that particular group.

As shown below, “MySQL Database” group contains 1 mandatory package, 6 default packages, and 5 optional packages.

# yum groupinfo "MySQL Database"
Group: MySQL Database
 Description: This package group contains packages useful for use with MySQL.
 Mandatory Packages:
   mysql
 Default Packages:
   MySQL-python
   libdbi-dbd-mysql
   mysql-connector-odbc
   mysql-server
   perl-DBD-MySQL
   unixODBC
 Optional Packages:
   mod_auth_mysql
   mysql-bench
   mysql-devel
   php-mysql
   qt-MySQL

3. Install the “MySQL Database” group using yum groupinstall

yum groupinstall will install the “MySQL Database” group of packages as shown below.

# yum groupinstall "MySQL Database"

Resolving Dependencies
Dependencies Resolved

Transaction Summary
=========================
Install     12 Package(s)         
Update       0 Package(s)         
Remove       0 Package(s)         

Installed:
  MySQL-python.i386 0:1.2.1-1 libdbi-dbd-mysql.i386 0:0.8.1a-1.2.2  
  mysql.i386 0:5.0.77-4.el5_4.2  mysql-connector-odbc.i386 0:3.51.26r1127-1.el5
  mysql-server.i386 0:5.0.77-4.el5_4.2  perl-DBD-MySQL.i386 0:3.0007-2.el5 
  unixODBC.i386 0:2.2.11-7.1    

Dependency Installed:
  libdbi.i386 0:0.8.1-2.1 libdbi-drivers.i386 0:0.8.1a-1.2.2 
  libtool-ltdl.i386 0:1.5.22-7.el5_4 
  mx.i386 0:2.0.6-2.2.2 perl-DBI.i386 0:1.52-2.el5  

Complete!

Note: If you are having some issues during the installation, verify the full mysql install log to see what you are missing.

4. Verify MySQL Installation

Execute rpm -qa, to confirm that the mysql related packages are installed.

# rpm -qa | grep -i mysql
MySQL-python-1.2.1-1
mysql-5.0.77-4.el5_4.2
mysql-connector-odbc-3.51.26r1127-1.el5
mysql-server-5.0.77-4.el5_4.2
libdbi-dbd-mysql-0.8.1a-1.2.2
perl-DBD-MySQL-3.0007-2.el5

Check the /etc/passwd and /etc/group to make sure it has created a mysql username and group.

# grep mysql /etc/passwd
mysql:x:27:27:MySQL Server:/var/lib/mysql:/bin/bash

# grep mysql /etc/group
mysql:x:27:

5. MySQL Post installation – Execute mysql_install_db

mysql_install_db program will setup the necessary grant tables. The mysql_install_db program gets executed as part of the rpm installation. But, it doesn’t hurt to execute the mysql_install_db program again to make sure the grant tables are setup properly.

# /usr/bin/mysql_install_db --user=mysql
Installing MySQL system tables...OK
Filling help tables...OK
.....
The latest information about MySQL is available on the web at http://www.mysql.com

6. Start MySQL Server

# service mysqld status
mysqld is stopped

# service mysqld start
Starting MySQL:                                            [  OK  ]

7. Verify that the MySQL server is up and running.

# /usr/bin/mysqladmin version
/usr/bin/mysqladmin  Ver 8.41 Distrib 5.0.77, for redhat-linux-gnu on i686
Copyright (C) 2000-2006 MySQL AB
This software comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY. This is free software,
and you are welcome to modify and redistribute it under the GPL license

Server version		5.0.77
Protocol version	10
Connection		Localhost via UNIX socket
UNIX socket		/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
Uptime:			39 sec

Threads: 1  Questions: 2  Slow queries: 0  Opens: 12  Flush tables: 1  
Open tables: 6  Queries per second avg: 0.051

# /usr/bin/mysqlshow
+--------------------+
|     Databases      |
+--------------------+
| information_schema |
| mysql              |
| test               |
+--------------------+

# /usr/bin/mysqlshow mysql
Database: mysql
+---------------------------+
|          Tables           |
+---------------------------+
| columns_priv              |
| db                        |
| func                      |
| help_category             |
| time_zone_transition      |
| time_zone_transition_type |
| user                      |
+---------------------------+

Stop and start the mysql server again to make sure they are no issues.

# service mysqld stop
Stopping MySQL:                                            [  OK  ]

# service mysqld start
Starting MySQL:                                            [  OK  ]

8. Change the MySQL root account password

Change the MySQL root account password to something secure.

# mysql -u root
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 5
Server version: 5.0.77 Source distribution

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql> select host, user from mysql.user;
+-----------+------+
| host      | user |
+-----------+------+
| 127.0.0.1 | root | 
| localhost |      | 
| localhost | root | 
+-----------+------+
5 rows in set (0.00 sec)

mysql> set password for 'root'@'localhost' = PASSWORD('DoNotTell$AnyBody');
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> set password for 'root'@'127.0.0.1' = PASSWORD('DoNotTell$AnyBody');
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

Make sure you are able to login to MySQL using the new password as shown below.

# mysql -u root
ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: NO)

# mysql -u root -p
Enter password: 
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 7
Server version: 5.0.77 Source distribution

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql>