mysql silently failing to start - suggestions?

[Adam Vande More]

On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 9:34 PM, John <john at starfire.mn.org> wrote:

> If this isn't the right list - if I should try another let me know -
> but since this is the mysql-server-5.4.2 package, and since you
> folks have been so helpful, I thought I'd give it a go.
>
> Anyway, the system is 8.0-RELEASE and that package is installed,
> and I can't start the server.  Not only can I not start the server,
> but it's not giving me a clue.  I can't find anything anywhere.
> Not in /var/log/messages, not anywhere.  When I run
>    /usr/local/etc/rc.d/mysqlserver start
> it says "Starting mysql.", pauses for several seconds (I don't see
> anything go by in "top") and then the script exits.  At that point,
> one would expect, there's no /tmp/mysql.sock, there's nothing
> in messages or anywhere else.  With nothing to go on, well, I don't
> know where to start.  Any suggestions?
> --
>
> John Lind
> john at starfire.MN.ORG<http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>
>

I completely switched to postgresql long ago, but maybe I remember enough to
provide a clue, actually this a really application agnostic.

1.  edit the config file to increase verbosity.
2.  start the binary from the commandline, don't run the start-up scripts as
they sometimes mask errors.


-- 
Adam Vande More