MySQL won't start!

Question

I'm getting this error when trying to log into MySQL from the command line:

ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock' (2)

I think this means that MySQL hasn't been started yet. So I try to start it:

sudo /etc/init.d/mysql start

and I get this message:

* Starting MySQL database server mysqld [fail]

Where do I look/what do I do to get MySQL to start? I am running Ubuntu 8.04 and installed MySQL through apt-get. I have been able to get it started and used it a couple times so I don't know why it just stopped working.

Update: When running sudo /etc/init.d/mysql status I get the message:

* MySQL is stopped.

Update #2: My log files (/var/log/mysql.log & /var/log/mysql.err) are empty (if these are the right ones)

Answer 1

Take a look at your log files. On Debian at least, you get mysql* logs in /var/log.

Answer 2

WARNING: This is dangerous, your mysql will NOT be safe and anyone will be able to connect, edit, etc your tables, do not leave your server running with this command.

Try starting it in safe mode: /usr/local/mysql/bin/safe_mysqld --user=mysql --skip-grant-tables

If this works then there might be problems with your information_schema or your mysql table(s). If it doesn't work than something is wrong with your install.

Answer 3

Check your log files as in the other answers. Also, check that you have enough (or any disk-space). MySQL can behave in this way on an empty partition.

df -h

If it's not that, check out MySQL's docs on debugging a server. Their myisamchk (if you're using MyISAM) is particularly useful.