MySQL: Single thread, how can I get more?

We have MySQL 4.1 running on a RedHat box, and contrary to previous installs I've done when it starts there is only 1 linux thread running for it. I'm used to seeing 10-ish. This single thread can run up to 50% cpu (viewed in `ps aux`). Is there a way I can tell mysql to increase the number of threads started?

I've been running Mysql for awhile under Suse. My current version is 5.0.26. Mainly because I just upgraded to Suse 10.2, but before then I was running version 4 (which minor I'm not sure since I've slept a time or two since then At any rate, getting back to mysql threads. As far as I know, mysql will start with 1 thread, but as more users log in, additional threads are spawned. You can limit the number of threads when settting it up, but I've never found anything in regards to setting the number of threads to start out with. However, you can find what options are required to get what you want by running "mysqld --verbose --help" and if that don't answer your questions, perhaps "man mysqld"? There is a setting in there for "--thread-cache-size" but that is for setting the maximum number of threads to allow

Ldmcclatchey