Hi Dale, Are you trying to create a user for your MySQL database, or are you trying to create a user for your WordPress website? The two are very different, so I just want to clarify. Normally when you install XAMPP, MySQL gets set up on your computer automatically, and it creates a default user for it, normally with the username root. I actually think that that root user doesn't even have a password, in other words the "correct" password is to keep the password blank. Further, you actually don't need to create a different user than root in order to use WordPress, or create a password-protected website, or anything; I actually think most people don't even bother creating a custom user for their local MySQL installations -- there really isn't much point. So you may be hassling with something that you don't even need to.

With that in mind, to set up your WordPress installation correctly on a local XAMPP server, you'd open up the wp-config-sample.php file that's in your WordPress file folder and use these settings where they're listed:

define('DB_USER', 'root');
define('DB_PASSWORD', '');
define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

(You'll also need to add in whatever you actually named your database, where it says, "DB_NAME". I should say that clearly: you do need to create an empty database on your machine before you try to do the WordPress install in your browser using the steps in the next paragraph. You can name the database anything you like. If you don't know how to create a database, make sure XAMPP is running -- the icon will be green, not red or orange -- then try going to localhost/phpmyadmin in your internet browser. If you get to a real page, look for the Databases tab, click it, then type your database name in the text field where it says, "Create database" and click the Create button.)

Then change the name of that file to wp-config.php (remove the -sample), and try to visit your website's URL in your browser. You should be presented with the "set your language" prompt and then guided through the WordPress install.

On the other hand, if what you're really trying to do is create a new user on an existing WordPress website, just log in to your WordPress site at [your site's URL]/wp-login.php, click on Users in the left sidebar, then click Add New. It should be pretty straightforward.

Hope this helps you, and sorry this has been so much trouble so far! Do let me know if you get it working or have other questions.