Install Step2 -> white Page; mail() issue? mySQL Issue?

I encountered a strange behavior, while installing WP on Apache/2.2.4 (FreeBSD)
PHP 5.2.2
mySQL 5.0.41

What I’ve done so far:
reloading install.php?step=2 reveals

> ERROR: please type your e-mail address

I get the same result with a hardcoded admin e-mail in ~/wp-admin/install.php line 69

Then i patched wp_check_mysql_version() in upgrade-functions.php which reveals
> ERROR: WordPress 2.2 requires MySQL 4.0.0 or higher
though “echo mysql_get_server_info();” says 5.0.41

This behavior can be reproduced with WP Versions 2.2, 2.1.3 and 2.0.10

WP is working fine in another virtual domain on the same server.

Is there any PHP/mySQL-crack out there to point me to the right direction?

Here are some server details from phpinfo():

System FreeBSD michelle.lostinspace.de 6.2-PRERELEASE FreeBSD 6.2-PRERELEASE #2: Fri Sep 29 13:28:12 CEST 2006 [email protected]:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/MICHELLE6 i386

Configure Command './configure' '--enable-versioning' '--with-layout=GNU' '--with-config-file-scan-dir=/usr/local/etc/php' '--disable-all' '--enable-libxml' '--with-libxml-dir=/usr/local' '--enable-reflection' '--program-prefix=' '--enable-fastcgi' '--with-apxs2=/usr/local/sbin/apxs' '--with-regex=php' '--with-zend-vm=CALL' '--prefix=/usr/local'

sendmail_path /usr/sbin/sendmail -t -i /usr/sbin/sendmail -t -i

mysql
MySQL Support enabled
Active Persistent Links 0
Active Links 0
Client API version 3.23.58
MYSQL_MODULE_TYPE no value
MYSQL_SOCKET /tmp/mysql.sock
MYSQL_INCLUDE no value
MYSQL_LIBS no value

Directive Local Value Master Value
mysql.allow_persistent On On
mysql.connect_timeout 60 60
mysql.default_host no value no value
mysql.default_password no value no value
mysql.default_port no value no value
mysql.default_socket no value no value
mysql.default_user no value no value
mysql.max_links Unlimited Unlimited
mysql.max_persistent Unlimited Unlimited
mysql.trace_mode Off Off

mysqli
MysqlI Support enabled
Client API library version 3.23.58
Client API header version 5.0.41
MYSQLI_SOCKET /tmp/mysql.sock

Directive Local Value Master Value
mysqli.default_host no value no value
mysqli.default_port 3306 3306
mysqli.default_pw no value no value
mysqli.default_socket no value no value
mysqli.default_user no value no value
mysqli.max_links Unlimited Unlimited
mysqli.reconnect Off Off