XAMPP, ApacheFriends

XAMPP, ApacheFriends - is an open source project that make it possible for newbie to get start with Apache, MySql, Perl or PHP as fast as possible.

I have been use it for a few month now and I have to say that this project rock. Since the XAMPP tool have MySQL bundle with in it installation package it quick tricky for me to setup XAMPP without using MySQL server that bundled (I prefer to use MySQL from a standalone installation, I might change my mind later but that just for now.).

The following step I have been use to setup XAMPP and MySQL 5 to work together.

Install MySQL 5.0.27 download from MySQL.com
Test Make sure MySQL service work properly
(running MySQL Command Line tool)
Download XAMPP from apachefriends.org
Install XAMPP until the point that it ask
to install service (Apache, MySQL etc..)
make sure you click No (you will want to
configure this service later).

PHP version 5 is activated by default, in my situation I want to work with PHP 4 so what I do:

Double click on the XAMPP Control Panel 
on my desktop and stop Apache service
Start -> Program Files -> apachefriends -> PHP Switch 
(follow instruction on the screen
to switch PHP version)

Ok, now I got Apache with PHP v4. My next problem is phpMyAdmin can't establish connection to MySQL server. This error because PHP 4 using need to use MySQL old password algorithm.
So again I need to make some change on MySQL server:

Launch MySQL Command Line
Login with password
Type: 
SET PASSWORD FOR
'root'@'localhost' = OLD_PASSWORD('my_password')

Viola, mission accomplished.