I just wasted last few hours trying to get it to work from E:/usr/local/mysql. Here's the real way to get it to work as a service on NT: (at least it worked for me...)

1. Log in as administrator! Even if your user account has full adminstrator privileges, it will not work.

2. Install mysql into whatever directory using SETUP.EXE. My directory is "E:/usr/local/mysql".

3. Copy the file "example-my.cnf" from the mysql directory to C:\ and rename it "c:\my.cnf".

4. Add these two lines of "c:/my.cnf", under the [mysqld] section:

basedir = e:/usr/local/mysql/ tmpdir = e:/tmp

The first line is NOT optional, despite the fact that "mysqladmin variables" reports the new directory (e:/usr/local/mysql) correctly. mysqld-nt still won't find it. The second line is optional. The default is c:\temp.

5. Install it by typing: mysqld-nt --install

6. Launch it by typing: NET START mysql

Good luck! - John W. Millaway, President