package mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[kgb]

Ubuntu 9.10
installed version: 5.1.37-1ubuntu5
new version: 5.1.37-1ubuntu5.1
mysql server fails to stop, so the new version can not be installed

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: amd64
Date: Thu Feb 11 11:22:24 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
ErrorMessage: subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
Logs.var.log.daemon.log:

Logs.var.log.kern.log:

MySQLConf.etc.mysql.conf.d.mysqld.safe.syslog.cnf:
 [mysqld_safe]
 syslog
MySQLVarLibDirListing: ['mysql', 'ibdata1', 'debian-5.1.flag', 'ib_logfile0', 'ib_logfile1', 'mysql_upgrade_info']
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-19.56-generic
SourcePackage: mysql-dfsg-5.1
Title: package mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-19-generic x86_64

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thanks for your report.

could you please open a terminal run the following command:
$ grep mysqld /var/log/daemon.log > /tmp/var.log.daemon.log

And attach the file tmp/var.log.daemon.log to this report.

Thanks.

[b_b (brunobergot)]

I've finally bypassed this error by stopping mysql server with :

mysqladmin -u root -p shutdown

Restart the upgrade and all is fine.

It seems that the package which do the upgrade don't have the necessary rights to stop mysql server.

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Thanks for following up. I'm closing this report due to your last comment. Thanks.

[Stewart Douglas (sdouglas-snowgold)]

The info in this report also allowed me to resolve the same problem

[Pieroxy (pierregrimaud)]

How does this comment makes the bug invalid? The package cannot still be installed!

Does the process for updating one's Ubuntu is to go through Launchpad to see why the package couldn't be installed?

[Jean-Baptiste Lallement (jibel)]

Hi Pieroxy,

This report has been closed because there is no information regarding why mysql refused to stop and the reporter fixed his issue by himself by reading the mysql log. So there is no reason to keep it open.

If you're experiencing the same symptoms (e.g invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "stop" failed.) it is not necessary the same issue and you should file a new report.

Thanks.

[linuxonbute (normanelliott)]

I had the same error message but found that mysql had actually installed!
When I later rebooted the new version had replaced the old one in memory.
So it was fine except that update manager still kept on insisting that I need to install this same security update.
After I stopped mysql manually as above and ran the install this cleared up.