BitBucket Server says com.mysql.jdbc.Driver is not available even though the jar is there

[Domagoj Polović]

I've just upgraded our BitBucket Server to 5.2.2 and it won't start with an error message: "The database, as currently configured, is not accessible. Bitbucket is configured to use the mysql driver (com.mysql.jdbc.Driver) but it is not available.".

This is not the first time I was upgrading the BitBucket Server. As it was with the last time I was upgrading it, I've put the latest jdbc driver (mysql-connector-java-5.1.43-bin.jar) in the /opt/atlassian/bitbucket/5.2.2/lib folder. It doesn't matter if I start it with service atlbitbucket start or 5.2.2/bin/start-bitbucket.sh commands, the error is always there.

Is this a known issue and can it be resolved?

[Domagoj Polović · Accepted solution]

The lib folder was moved to /var/atlassian/application-data/bitbucket/lib, placing the mysql-connector-java-5.1.43-bin.jar file there solved the issue.

[Dennis van Berkel]

That did it for me! Thanks.

[Marko Petelin]

did it also for me after a G search... 

I suggest Atlassian team to update the page Connecting Bitbucket Server to MySQL with a note that informs that from Bitbucket 5.x by default home dir in linux envs has been moved in /var folder.

[Spencer Varney]

Had to figure this out for Windows Server 2008 R2 Sp1 - we were getting the same error when trying to launch it in the browser. With a default install of Bitbucket 5.x the path is apparently:
C:\Atlassian\Bitbucket\5.x\app\WEB-INF\lib

(where you find the other .jar files). Once we copied the connector there, it worked out.

[Michael Gaskin]

Thanks Spencer, worked perfectly... Updated docs are needed.

[Bill Mowery]

This is also a problem in the Windows (Server 2016) and BitBucket (Version 6.2) install as well. The proper location for the driver is <AppData>/Bitbucket/lib. If you follow the instructions as published you'll lose your mind trying to connect to MySQL.

[Chris Collins]

OMG thank you so much Bill.  Saved my life with that tip.  Thank you!  :)

[Domagoj Polović]

Will there any help with this?

[Hua Soon SIM _Akeles_]

It also works if the sql connector jar file is copied to 

<bitbucket-home>/lib

The advantage is that the customisation will persists across upgrades.