# Installing MariaDB Windows ZIP Packages

Users need to run [mariadb-install-db.exe](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/installing-mariadb/installing-system-tables-mariadb-install-db/mariadb-install-db-exe), without parameters to create a data directory, e.g

```bash
C:\zip_unpack\directory> bin\mariadb-install-db.exe
```

Then you can start server like this

```bash
C:\zip_unpack\directory> bin\mariadbd.exe --console
```

If you like to customize the server instance (data directory, install as service etc), please refer to [mariadb-install-db.exe documentation](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/server-management/install-and-upgrade-mariadb/installing-mariadb/installing-system-tables-mariadb-install-db/mariadb-install-db-exe)

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