Setup MySQL

Before you can do anything to MySQL, you need to make sure it's running:

/etc/init.d/mysqld start
Initializing MySQL database:                               [  OK  ]
Starting MySQL:                                            [  OK  ]

Now, to configure the databases for freePBX:
Note: If mysql admin password is already configured, add "-p" after the command and enter password when asked.  For example, "mysqladmin -p create asterisk"

cd /usr/src/freepbx-2.3
mysqladmin create asterisk
mysqladmin create asteriskcdrdb
mysql asterisk < SQL/newinstall.sql
mysql asteriskcdrdb < SQL/cdr_mysql_table.sql

They also need to be secured, so that not just anyone can access them. freePBX will prompt you for a database password when you do the install. You need to pick that now. We'll assume that you've picked 'asteriskuser' and 'amp109' - you probably shouldn't use these, as they are well known passwords for Asterisk@Home builds. If anyone's trying to attack your machine, they will try this.

mysql
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 8 to server version: 4.1.16

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.

mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON asteriskcdrdb.* TO asteriskuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'amp109';
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON asterisk.* TO asteriskuser@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'amp109';
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> flush privileges;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> \q
Bye

Now, after all of this, you need to pick a root 'mysql' password. We'll make it 'abcdef'. If you need to do anything else with mysql, you'll need to provide this password.
mysqladmin -u root password 'abcdef'