I am trying to install MySQL 5.1.51-community on a Windows XP guest operating system under VMWare Workstation v.7.1.2. If I take all the defaults and install the mysql data directory on the C-drive, then it works. If I mount a USB drive, copy the ibdata1 file there, then I can change the data directory to the directory on the USB-mounted drive. I make this change using the MySQL Server Instance Config Wizard.
When I try to reconfigure the data directory to be on the VMWare shared drive, however, I get an error that mysql cannot find the ibdata1 file in the VMWare shared drive:
101017 21:20:02 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
101017 21:20:03 InnoDB: Operating system error number 3 in a file operation.
InnoDB: The error means the system cannot find the path specified.
InnoDB: If you are installing InnoDB, remember that you must create
InnoDB: directories yourself, InnoDB does not create them.
InnoDB: File name Z:\vmware_play\ibdata1
InnoDB: File operation call: 'create'.
InnoDB: Cannot continue operation.
I had shut down the service and copied the ibdata1 file to that exact directory.
When I try to reconfigure the data directory to be on the VMWare shared drive, however, I get an error that mysql cannot find the ibdata1 file in the VMWare shared drive:
101017 21:20:02 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
101017 21:20:03 InnoDB: Operating system error number 3 in a file operation.
InnoDB: The error means the system cannot find the path specified.
InnoDB: If you are installing InnoDB, remember that you must create
InnoDB: directories yourself, InnoDB does not create them.
InnoDB: File name Z:\vmware_play\ibdata1
InnoDB: File operation call: 'create'.
InnoDB: Cannot continue operation.
I had shut down the service and copied the ibdata1 file to that exact directory.