16.10.2009

If you try to startup mysqld after a fresh install, and it ends right after it, check first if you ran the db installation script:

# mysql_install_db

This should install the required database. If you want to fire it up then and you get something like this:

Starting mysqld daemon with databases from /var/lib/mysql
STOPPING server from pid file /var/lib/mysql/myhost.pid
091016 18:52:03  mysqld ended

check if /var/lib/mysql if owned by the user under mysqld runs (usually mysql user).

cd /var/lib
chown -R mysql:mysql mysql/

Now, you should be able to start the daemon mysqld_safe &

Right after that, you need to setup a mysql root password. I suggest to do it from within mysql:

# mysql
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 1
Server version: 5.0.84-log Source distribution

...
mysql> USE mysql
Database changed
mysql> UPDATE user SET password=PASSWORD("yourgreatpassword") WHERE User='root';
Query OK, 3 rows affected (0.00 sec)
Rows matched: 3  Changed: 3  Warnings: 0
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)