Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)

Hello All,
I am having a small problem that had grown to be a huge headache for me.

Environment ;

win2k  SP3
JAVA_HOME=C:\j2sdk1.4.1_02
MySQL version 4.0.13

Problem:

For some reason I am not being able to set the classpath to recognise the driver files for MySQL J connector;

J Conector Files I tried to use

mysql-connector-java-2.0.14-bin.jar
mysql-connector-java-3.0.8-stable-bin.jar
mysql-connector-java-3.1.0-alpha-bin.jar

Places I tried to put these files at for classpath

1. Create mySqldrivers folder in c and ut these files and set the classpath to tpoint to this folder e.g
CLASSPATH=C:\mysqlDrivers\mysql-connector-java-3.1.0-alpha-bin.jar

2. I have tried to put each of the above files in the {JAVA_HOME}\jre\leb\ext\
as well as {Program Files\Java}\jre\leb\ext\

and here is my most simple class that I am trying to test the driver with

public class TestMySQL {
  public ResultSetMetaData rsmd = null;
  public Connection conn = null;
  public Statement st = null;
  public ResultSet rs = null;
  public boolean isConnected = true;
  public TestMySQL() {
    try{
      String dbURL = "jdbc:mysql:127.0.0.1/root";
      Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver").newInstance();
      //org.gjt.mm.mysql.Driver
      //com.mysql.jdbc.Driver
      conn = DriverManager.getConnection(dbURL,"root","crap");
      System.out.print("Connection to root db is successfull");
    }catch(SQLException sqle){
      isConnected = false;
      System.out.println("General SQL ERROR = "+sqle.getMessage());
    }catch(Exception ie){
      isConnected = false;
      System.out.println("Class Not Found = "+ie.getMessage());
    }

  }

  public static void main(String[] args) {
    TestMySQL testMySQL1 = new TestMySQL();
  }
}

You have no idea how much I'd appreciate if some kind soul help me figure this one out.

Thanks in advance for taking time to read this.