InnoDB errors MySQL windows 8 - mysql

Question

I just upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8, however a lot of settings or files have changed and I can no longer connect to a MySQL database.
Here is the error I get:
130124 23:56:02 [Warning] Can't create test file C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.5\data\Randy-PC.lower-test
130124 23:56:02 [Warning] Can't create test file C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.5\data\Randy-PC.lower-test
130124 23:56:02 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
130124 23:56:03 InnoDB: The InnoDB memory heap is disabled
130124 23:56:03 InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use Windows interlocked functions
130124 23:56:03 InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.3
130124 23:56:03 InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, size = 128.0M
130124 23:56:03 InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
130124 23:56:03 InnoDB: Operating system error number 5 in a file operation.
InnoDB: The error means mysqld does not have the access rights to
InnoDB: the directory. It may also be you have created a subdirectory
InnoDB: of the same name as a data file.
InnoDB: File name .\ibdata1
InnoDB: File operation call: 'open'.
InnoDB: Cannot continue operation.
What can I do to get my database up and running again?
All help is greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

The most likely explanation is that the permissions on the MySQL data directory were modified by the Windows 8 upgrade.
From the error message, it looks like your InnoDB data directory may be C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.5\data
Use Windows Explorer to navigate to that directory, right click, and open the Properties, and click on the Security tab. The service account that the MySQL services is running under needs to have Full access (all privileges) to that directory. When you click on Edit, there's two columns of check boxes for Allow and Deny... Full Control, Modify, Read & execute, etc.)
(NOTE: I'm not running Windows 8. On my Windows 7 system, the data directory is C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.5\data\)