If you’re encountering the error “The server quit without updating PID file” when trying to start MariaDB, there can be a few possible reasons including a crashed database, incorrect permissions, or an error in the my.cnf configuration file.
Here are a few steps to resolve the error:
1. Correction of Permissions: The error might have occurred due to incorrect permissions. Make sure permissions and owners are correct on the /var/lib/mysql directory. You may need to run commands like:
\`\`\` chown -R mysql:mysql /var/lib/mysql chmod -R 755 /var/lib/mysql \`\`\` Then try to start the Mariadb again.1. Examine Log Files: Check my.cnf (/etc/my.cnf) file to see the path of error log and then check error log. If the file is not present, create it and assign the appropriate permissions.
1. Repair MariaDB: MariaDB includes a database repair tool called mysqlcheck. Run this tool to repair all MariaDB databases.
\`\`\` mysqlcheck —repair —all-databases \`\`\`1. Check and repair InnoDB Storage Engine: Sometimes, MariaDB might not start if there is corruption with the InnoDB storage engine. MariaDB includes a tool called `mysql_upgrade` which is used to check and repair InnoDB tables.
\`\`\` mysql\_upgrade \`\`\`1. Investigate Conflicting Processes: Run a ‘ps’ command to find all running mysqld processes:
\`\`\` ps aux | grep mysqld \`\`\` If there are any mysqld processes running, shut them down or kill these processes, then try to restart MariaDB again.1. Check MariaDB Server Instance: Only one instance of the MariaDB server can use a data directory. Make sure another instance is not running.
Remember to monitor the error logs diligently, as they can provide clues to what might be going wrong. Most importantly, always ensure you have a current backup of your data before undertaking any significant changes.
