Code giving mysql warnings after upgrading to Drupal 6.14

I upgraded from Drupal 6.13 to 6.14 and since then the following simple code:

            $conn = mysql_connect("localhost","root","qu1losap");
                if (!$conn)
              {
                  die('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());
              }
       
            mysql_select_db("starlab_db", $conn);
            mysql_close($conn);

gives the following warning:

warning: mysql_get_server_info() [function.mysql-get-server-info]: Access denied for user 'www-data'@'localhost' (using password: NO) in /.../www/internal/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 44.
warning: mysql_get_server_info() [function.mysql-get-server-info]: A link to the server could not be established in /var/www/internal/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 44.
warning: mysql_get_server_info() [function.mysql-get-server-info]: Access denied for user 'www-data'@'localhost' (using password: NO) in /.../www/internal/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 44.
warning: mysql_get_server_info() [function.mysql-get-server-info]: A link to the server could not be established in /var/www/internal/includes/database.mysql.inc on line 44.

when mysql_close is removed from the above code, there is no warning.

Thank you in advance!