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Output from configuration script index.php:

Creating tables...Query "CREATE TABLE categorylinks ( cl_from int(8) unsigned NOT 
NULL default '0', cl_to varchar(255) binary NOT NULL default '', cl_sortkey varchar
(255) binary NOT NULL default '', cl_timestamp timestamp NOT NULL, UNIQUE KEY 
cl_from(cl_from,cl_to), KEY cl_sortkey(cl_to,cl_sortkey(128)), KEY cl_timestamp
(cl_to,cl_timestamp) )" failed with error code "Specified key was too long; max key 
length is 1024 bytes". 

More information:  mySQL version 4.1.9.  Reproduced error from mySQL command line.  
mySQL error is 1071.   For some reason mySQL is multiplying the specified column 
length by a factor of 3.   Thus, (128*3) + (255*3) = 1149 which is greater than the 
allowed 1024.  This can be seen by using the diagnostic command "show index from 
categorylinks" which shows the tripled lengths of of columns that have been 
included as substrings.

Workaround:   
changed this clause:
    KEY cl_sortkey(cl_to,cl_sortkey(128)) 
to this:
    KEY cl_sortkey(cl_to,cl_sortkey(86)) 

Install script now creates all tables successfully.

Suggestions:
Decrease the width of either the cl_sortkey key fields, or of the columns themselves
Identify what in mySQL is causing substring lengths in indices to be tripled in 
width.