Do NOT use MySQL database version 4.1.7 if you are trying to get WordPress installed using a Windows platform. Read this post originally made to the forums:

"To all those having problems installing Wordpress on your own Windows 2000 (and other Win OS versions) workstation - and maybe some host servers, too: Do not use MySQL 4.1.7 - it is the problem if you get "Error establishing a database connection!". It does not seem compatible with the other components. Use MYSQL 4.0.22 instead.

Thanks to the Reply by ADAMANT in response to the POST of Nov 6, 2004 02:21:29 by ANTOINE, the Wordpress installation really did become only 5 minutes, after two days of frustration:

I started with Windows 2000, PHP 4.3.9, Apache 1.3.33 and MySQL 4.1.7. I spent two days checking my wp-config.php literally 100 times; making changes; troubleshooting my database, using every known name for my host (localhost, 127.0.0.1, <IP address>, computer name, etc...) to no avail. I kept getting:

"Error establishing a database connection!" ...

I knew it wasn't my config. So thanks to ADAMANT's suggestion, I uninstalled MySQL 4.1.7 and downloaded and installed MySQL 4.0.22 from mysql.org. After installing and configuring the new (old) MySQL, which took approximately 7 minutes (very easy), I ran the install.php once again and YES!! it actually took less than 5 minutes for the Wordpress install.

NOTE: the Apache web site says NOT to use Apache 2 in production. So, after all my wasted time with the latest MySQL, I suggest the following to those who can control their environment:

PHP 4.3.9, Apache 1.3.33 and MySQL 4.0.22. On Windows at least, they all work well together."

Steven

UPDATE: MySQL 4.1.7 uses a new password encryption system that is incompatible with prior methods. If you want to get WordPress working with a 4.1.7 database, you need to make sure your user password is set as an old-style password (password-old instead of password, if you're using mysqladmin). -- Nabil

ADDITIONAL: As stated above by Nabil, you can force Post 4.1.7 MySQL systems to use the old password lengths. From the MySQL command line interface, as a user that can manipulate the mysql tables (most likely root):

USE mysql;
SET PASSWORD FOR 'wordpressuser'@'localhost' = OLD_PASSWORD('somePassword444');
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

As the normal password methods will result in the new style password function being used. Another hack would be to run the mysql service with --old-passwords, but I've seen the above password method work under 4.1.19 and 4.1.20 on an XP install - Grey

Note: The above are actual user comments, and may be subjective in their content. It is hoped that it will be of help to some users who face the specific problems that are addressed by this question.