How to Setup a MySQL Database Using GoDaddy

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Depending upon how you want to setup your site you may end up needing a database. If you plan to setup a blog you are going to need a database for sure especially if you are using WordPress. The following guide will show you how to setup a MySQL database if you are using the web hosting provider, GoDaddy.com.

1. Hosting Control Center

Go ahead and login to your GoDaddy.com web hosting account if you haven’t already. After entering your login information click the My Account link. On the left hand side of the screen should be the navigation menu with all of the different sections of your hosting account. If it isn’t already selected click on the My Products section and then click on Hosting.

You will then be taken to a page listing all of your hosting accounts. Find the hosting account that you want to setup your database on and click Manage Account. You will be taken to the Hosting Control Center and there is where all the magic happens.

2. Finding the database list section

To get to the page listing the databases available for your account you are going to want to click on the green Databases tab located at the top of the screen.

From there a section located on the main page will open up allowing you to select the type of database. Go ahead and click on MySQL.

3. MySQL Database Information

Now that we are at the right page we can start setting up our MySQL database. The current page lists all of the databases being setup or that are already active under your web hosting account.

If this is your first time setting up a MySQL database the page will be empty. Go ahead and click on the Create Database button located in the upper right hand corner of the table.

4. Setting up the MySQL Database Information

After clicking Create Database you will be taken to the page where you can begin to enter information to setup your database.

1. Description (Optional) – This is not a required field and only aids you in helping you remember what the database is for should you end up creating more then one database.
2. MySQL Database/User Name (Required) – This is the user name that you are going to be using to login to your database as well as the name of the database that you will use to connect to. GoDaddy requires that the usernames are unique for the database so you may end up having to add an extra number or symbol to your username if it is already taken.
3. Enter New Password (Required) – This is the password that you will use to login to your database along with the username that you created. It must contain 7 to 14 characters, one lowercase, one uppercase and one number. It also must begin with a letter and cannot contain the username for an extra security measure.
4. Confirm New Password (Required) – Just confirms the password that you have chosen to make sure that you typed it correctly.
5. MySQL Version (Required) – Depending upon your setup you may need to choose version 4.1 instead of 5.0. Version 4.1 is selected by default but it is recommended that you choose 5.0 to reduce the chance of conflicts within the database in the future.
6. Ok/Cancel – After you have entered all your information click OK to have your database begin being setup. If there are any problems, you will receive a notification and what to do to fix the issue.

5. All done!

That’s it! If you did everything right and didn’t have any problems with your info you should be taken back to the database list page where your newly created database should be listed. However, you will not be able to access the database immediately and depending on the server load it may take a few minutes to an hour to have your database setup. Typically the earlier in the morning or the later at night you try to setup your MySQL database the quicker it will be up and running.

Once the Status column reads Setup you can click on Open Manager and proceed to log in to your newly created database!

(Hint) Should you need to edit information or view your database details you can click on the small pencil icon located in the far right hand column or click on the X to delete the database.