Problem installing mysql, error in post-installation script

Question

Having problems loading/installing mysql

Here is the output while installing:

 mysql-server-5.1
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/6,258 kB of archives.
After this operation, 13.5 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package mysql-server-5.1.
(Reading database ... 256988 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking mysql-server-5.1 (from .../mysql-server-5.1_5.1.54-1ubuntu4_i386.deb) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up mysql-server-5.1 (5.1.54-1ubuntu4) ...
110810 11:01:32 [Note] Plugin 'FEDERATED' is disabled.
110810 11:01:32  InnoDB: Initializing buffer pool, size = 8.0M
110810 11:01:32  InnoDB: Completed initialization of buffer pool
110810 11:01:32  InnoDB: Started; log sequence number 0 44233
110810 11:01:33  InnoDB: Starting shutdown...
110810 11:01:38  InnoDB: Shutdown completed; log sequence number 0 44233
start: Job failed to start
invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error processing mysql-server-5.1 (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

if anybody can help would be appreciated

Answer 1

The best way to diagnose this issue is to look in /var/log/mysql/error.log

That should show you the reason that MySQL failed to start. If you can fix the problem, try:

dpkg --configure -a

To finish installing your packages.

If you can't fix it you should be able to remove mysql completely with

apt-get purge mysql-server-5.1

Answer 2

sudo dpkg-reconfigure mysql-server-5.1

if you have mysql 5.1 (ubuntu 11.04 and 11.10) follow the instructions (new password...etc)

then reboot

for ubuntu 12.04 : sudo dpkg-reconfigure mysql-server-5.5

Answer 3

I had a similar problem and it turns out that /etc/mysql/my.cnf was not properly configured. It's a bit of a PITA that it's not easy to see what's going on when something is wrong.

Answer 4

Hi I have the similar problem with Mysql on 12.04.

I have to remove mysql-common and then re-install it. Everything went fine after doing that and its 2 hours of struggle ;)

Installed emma / workbench and credentials are saved in that creating as conflict every time. Removing mysql-common removed these conflicts