How to Install gem mysql2 on Windows 8

Question

I've spent a lot of time to fix this error and to understand it. Everytime I install ruby on rails on Windows I get the same problem. When I'm going to install the mysql2 gem I get the error below:

Gem::Installer::ExtensionBuildError: ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

        c:/Ruby193/bin/ruby.exe extconf.rb
checking for ruby/thread.h... no
checking for rb_thread_blocking_region()... yes
checking for rb_wait_for_single_fd()... yes
checking for rb_hash_dup()... yes
checking for rb_intern3()... yes
checking for mysql_query() in -lmysqlclient... no
checking for main() in -lm... yes
checking for mysql_query() in -lmysqlclient... no
checking for main() in -lz... no
checking for mysql_query() in -lmysqlclient... no
checking for main() in -lsocket... no
checking for mysql_query() in -lmysqlclient... no
checking for main() in -lnsl... no
checking for mysql_query() in -lmysqlclient... no
checking for main() in -lmygcc... no
checking for mysql_query() in -lmysqlclient... no
*** extconf.rb failed ***
Could not create Makefile due to some reason, probably lack of
necessary libraries and/or headers.  Check the mkmf.log file for more
details.  You may need configuration options.

Provided configuration options:
        --with-opt-dir
        --without-opt-dir
        --with-opt-include
        --without-opt-include=${opt-dir}/include
        --with-opt-lib
        --without-opt-lib=${opt-dir}/lib
        --with-make-prog
        --without-make-prog
        --srcdir=.
        --curdir
        --ruby=c:/Ruby193/bin/ruby
        --with-mysql-dir
        --without-mysql-dir
        --with-mysql-include
        --without-mysql-include=${mysql-dir}/include
        --with-mysql-lib
        --without-mysql-lib=${mysql-dir}/lib
        --with-mysql-config
        --without-mysql-config
        --with-mysql-dir
        --without-mysql-dir
        --with-mysql-include
        --without-mysql-include=${mysql-dir}/include
        --with-mysql-lib
        --without-mysql-lib=${mysql-dir}/lib
        --with-mysqlclientlib
        --without-mysqlclientlib
        --with-mlib
        --without-mlib
        --with-mysqlclientlib
        --without-mysqlclientlib
        --with-zlib
        --without-zlib
        --with-mysqlclientlib
        --without-mysqlclientlib
        --with-socketlib
        --without-socketlib
        --with-mysqlclientlib
        --without-mysqlclientlib
        --with-nsllib
        --without-nsllib
        --with-mysqlclientlib
        --without-mysqlclientlib
        --with-mygcclib
        --without-mygcclib
        --with-mysqlclientlib
        --without-mysqlclientlib


Gem files will remain installed in c:/Ruby193/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/mysql2-0.3.14 for inspection.
Results logged to c:/Ruby193/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/mysql2-0.3.14/ext/mysql2/gem_make.out
An error occurred while installing mysql2 (0.3.14), and Bundler cannot continue.
Make sure that `gem install mysql2 -v '0.3.14'` succeeds before bundling.

I'm currently using ruby 1.9.3p0 version on Windows 7 64x

What to do to fix this bothering error?

Answer 1

Bellow the steps to cover all problems with mysql2 gems.

1- Be assured you have mysql installed

2- Be assured you have the DevKit installed on your ruby.

3- Now download the mysql connector on http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/connector/c/ (Download the standalone version)

4- Extract it to any local directory

5- Go to that directory and copy the files libmysql.dll and libmysql.lib.

6- Paste them on C:\ruby193\bin

7- Open the prompt command and run the command

gem install mysql2 -- '--with-mysql-dir=""'

8- Voilà the gem was installed successfully.

Hope this can help someone. :)