Authentication fails when moving same LiveUser setup from linux to windows

PHP Warning:  mysql_real_escape_string(): Access denied for user: 'ODBC@localhost' (Using password: NO) in C:\php\pear\MDB2\Driver\mysql.php on line 169
PHP Warning:  mysql_real_escape_string(): A link to the server could not be established in C:\php\pear\MDB2\Driver\mysql.php on line 169

These are the errors I get (after un-suppressing an error in
MDB2_Driver_mysql version 0.1.1 on line 169). Apparently the db instance
is created before then, but it doesn't connect.

The odd thing is that I had this LiveUser setup work fine on linux, then
when I ported it to windows, it started giving me this error.

This is my error stack:
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [code] => -1
            [params] => Array
                (
                    [msg] => Could not find user in the authentication backend
                )

            [package] => LiveUser_Admin
            [level] => exception
            [time] => 1131122200.3309
            [context] => Array
                (
                    [file] => C:\php\pear\LiveUser\Admin.php
                    [line] => 594
                    [function] => _getusersbyauth
                    [class] => liveuser_admin
                )

            [message] => An error occurred Could not find user in the authentication backend
        )

)

Basically, becuase the mysql_real_escape_string function returns false,
the whole thing breaks... it can't apply the filter. :-S

Help!

Cheers,
  Balarama Bosch