problems using mysql_pconnect effectively

Hello;

I am just getting back into php, and of course I have some sort of
problem. Simply, the following code appears to hang. It is almost as if
the following line of php code never returns:

$this->id = @mysql_pconnect("localhost", "user", "pass") or
MySQL_ErrorMsg("Unable to connect to MySQL server: $this->host :
'$SERVER_NAME'");

I've tried user root with correct password and also user (insert
username here) with correct password. Where should I start looking to
solve this.. thanks..

-frl

p.s. windows xp, apache 2, php5, mysql something or other