Yes, it was kind of telling me where to look - trying to do too many things at once. The original problem as the log pointed out was that I did not have a path to the MySQL bin folder. Fixed that... but the install still failed... but because I used the --force it installed anyway - last few lines of the log as follows:

  Non-zero exit status: 38
  Parse errors: Bad plan.  You planned 60 tests but ran 0.
t/zvg_43prof_env.t            (Wstat: 9728 Tests: 11 Failed: 0)
  Non-zero exit status: 38
Files=182, Tests=7257, 137 wallclock secs ( 1.59 usr +  0.81 sys =  2.
+40 CPU)
Result: FAIL
Failed 10/182 test programs. 0/7257 subtests failed.
dmake.exe:  Error code 255, while making 'test_dynamic'
-> FAIL Testing DBI-1.633 failed but installing it anyway.
Files found in blib\arch: installing files in blib\lib into architectu
+re dependent library tree
Installing C:\Perl64\site\lib\auto\DBI\DBI.dll
Appending installation info to C:\Perl64\lib/perllocal.pod
dmake.exe:  Warning: -- Target [install] was made but the time stamp h
+as not been updated.
-> OK
Successfully reinstalled DBI-1.633
1 distribution installed
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If I try and install without the --force I get a message saying the module is up-to-date. perldoc DBI also returns information however my test connect to the database (test Perl program) is returning the following error still:

install_driver(mysql) failed: Can't locate DBD/mysql.pm in @INC (@INC 
+contains: C:/Perl64/site/lib/MSWin32-x64-multi-thread C:/Perl64/site/
+lib C:/Perl64/lib .) at (eval 5) line 3.
Perhaps the DBD::mysql perl module hasn't been fully installed,
or perhaps the capitalisation of 'mysql' isn't right.
Available drivers: CSV, DBM, ExampleP, File, Gofer, ODBC, Oracle, Pg, 
+Proxy, SQLite, Sponge.
 at C:\BATHGATE_WEATHER_OBSERVATION_SYSTEM\PERL\TEST_SQL.pl line 12.
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Code for the test Perl program is...

#! c:\xampp\perl\bin\perl

use strict;
use warnings;

use DBI;

my $dsn = "DBI:mysql:weather";
my $db_user = "colin";
my $db_pass = "???????????";

my $dbh = DBI->connect ($dsn,$db_user,$db_pass)
    or die "Couldn't connect to MySQL.\n";

print "Connection Successful: \$dbh=$dbh\n";

my $sql = "select station_id, station_name
        from stations";
my $sth = $dbh->prepare($sql)
    or die "Couldn't prepare statement $sql.\n";
$sth->execute()
    or die "Couldn't execute statement $sql.\n";
$sth->finish;

$dbh->disconnect;

exit;
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This appears to suggest that DBD:mysql is not installed, tried to install this module but it also failed with the following ending to the log file:

C:\Users\Colin\.cpanm\work\1424205331.7856\DBD-mysql-4.029/mysql.xs:68
+: undefined reference to `mysql_error'
C:\Users\Colin\.cpanm\work\1424205331.7856\DBD-mysql-4.029/mysql.xs:68
+: undefined reference to `mysql_errno'
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
dmake.exe:  Error code 129, while making 'blib\arch\auto\DBD\mysql\mys
+ql.dll'
-> FAIL Installing DBD::mysql failed. See C:\Users\Colin\.cpanm\work\1
+424205331.7856\build.log for details. Retry with --force to force ins
+tall it.
[download]

This module will not install with -force and does not show up anything when I enter perldocs DBD::MySQL Not sure what to do next, do I need both modules, DBI and DBD::MySQL? I can provide full log data if required... Thanks for any help on this... Colin

Hi ureco,

As choroba suggested look into the build.log file it might failed in Building and testing DBI-1.633.

Go into .cpanm, is there a build/source directory where DBI-1.633 is located Go there and run 'make test' and redirect the output to a file that you can see failing test cases and read it.

The verbose output should be in the build.log. Try cpanm --verbose DBI. That will give you the full information on screen.

ppm install DBD-MySQL
[download]