Best way to upgrade mysql-server?

[Andreas Widerøe Andersen]

Hi,
I recently upgraded from 3.23 to 4.027. My steps were:

1. Stopped the mysql server
2. make deinstall in mysql-server 3.23
3. make deinstall in mysql-client 3.23
4. make install clean in mysql-server 4.0.27
5. Ran the mysql_fix_privilege_tables
6. Started the mysql server again

(and ofcourse backups before step 1)

Things seem to be working fine.

In regards to the existing database files, are there more "correct" ways of
doing an upgrade on a production server?

Also, does anyone have some good advice on optimizing tables, correcting and
speeding up things after an upgrade?

Thanks and best regards,
Andreas