Can't initiate mysql in MAC OS X 10.7.5

Question

I installed MySQL through a package located in MySQL site.

I changed this directory:

/usr/local/mysql-5.5.28-osx10.5-x86/data

For _mysql

However, when I try to do mysqld start, I get the following errors and warnings:

121018 18:04:17 [Warning] Can't create test file /usr/local/mysql-5.5.28-osx10.5-x86/data/homer.lower-test
121018 18:04:17 [Warning] Can't create test file /usr/local/mysql-5.5.28-osx10.5-x86/data/homer.lower-test
121018 18:04:17 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
mysqld: Can't find file: './mysql/plugin.frm' (errno: 13)
121018 18:04:17 [ERROR] Can't open the mysql.plugin table. Please run mysql_upgrade to create it.
121018 18:04:17 InnoDB: The InnoDB memory heap is disabled
121018 18:04:17 InnoDB: Mutexes and rw_locks use InnoDB's own implementation
121018 18:04:17 InnoDB: Compressed tables use zlib 1.2.3
121018 18:04:17 InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, size = 128.0M
121018 18:04:17 InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
121018 18:04:17  InnoDB: Operating system error number 13 in a file operation.
InnoDB: The error means mysqld does not have the access rights to
InnoDB: the directory.
InnoDB: File name ./ibdata1
InnoDB: File operation call: 'create'.
InnoDB: Cannot continue operation.

Any tips on what can be happening?

Answer 1

The easiest thing to do is to install the System Preferences plugin that you get with the download and start/stop MySQL using that. You can set it there to start automatically when the system restarts.