Help with connecting database running on xampp

[CrystalPhoenix18]

I followed the video on updating Prestashop to 1.4.3 and am trying to develop the shop on a thumb drive. I have XAMPP installed, database created and imported, and all the files uploaded and altered as per the update video, but when I try to install PS, I get an "Database server was not found. Please verify the login, password, and database server name fields." error.
The config.settings.inc looks correct to me but I'm pretty new at this:

<?php

define('__PS_BASE_URI__', '/test_shop/prestashop/');
define('_MEDIA_SERVER_1_', '');
define('_MEDIA_SERVER_2_', '');
define('_MEDIA_SERVER_3_', '');
define('_PS_CACHING_SYSTEM_', 'MCached');
define('_PS_CACHE_ENABLED_', '0');
define('_THEME_NAME_', 'prestashop');
define('_DB_NAME_', 'thesti6_ps');
define('_MYSQL_ENGINE_', 'InnoDB');
define('_DB_SERVER_', 'localhost');
define('_DB_USER_', 'thesti6_dvb');
define('_DB_PREFIX_', 'ps_');
define('_DB_PASSWD_', '*****'); (password is the same as I use for the online database)
define('_DB_TYPE_', 'MySQL');
define('_COOKIE_KEY_', 'CZAQzdq7fQzaNwIiHnW6uxCwRRLE1Uiy8qZepod8NQ0QZeIDzEHcTR5a');
define('_COOKIE_IV_', '1VBpoQsJ');
define('_RIJNDAEL_KEY_', 'dCv5JhGaYvyiM9j6dY6YKtZzp3opx9tk');
define('_RIJNDAEL_IV_', '44PB52SDJCh+VyplkvkMHQ==');
define('_PS_VERSION_', '1.4.1.0');

?>

[Gizmor]

maybe you may not connect to the db from outside the normal www folder of xampp, your config looks ok.
otherwise you can always try wamp, i had trouble with xampp before and wamp is working good for me.

[fbas]

It might be your mysql settings and permissions given to your prestashop db username.

I'm running a test instance on xampp and have no issues, but I didn't try to migrate to/from thumb drive.