aptitude install mysql-server freezes at dpkg

[Kurt Kraut]

I'm trying to install mysql-server packages but it always freezes at the moment dpkg kicks in. It isn't in loop, the load_avg is 0.0. It sits like it was waiting for something. The freeze happens right after I enter with the password for the MySQL root account.

#### OUTPUT: aptitude ####

root@protozoa:~# aptitude install mysql-server
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libdbd-mysql-perl{a} libdbi-perl{a} libhtml-template-perl{a} libmysqlclient16{a} libnet-daemon-perl{a}
  libplrpc-perl{a} mysql-client-5.1{a} mysql-client-core-5.1{a} mysql-common{a} mysql-server
  mysql-server-5.1{a} mysql-server-core-5.1{a}
0 packages upgraded, 12 newly installed, 0 to remove and 11 not upgraded.
Need to get 23.2MB of archives. After unpacking 54.8MB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?]
Writing extended state information... Done
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main mysql-common 5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3 [97.5kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main libnet-daemon-perl 0.43-1 [46.9kB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main libplrpc-perl 0.2020-2 [36.0kB]
Get:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main libdbi-perl 1.609-1build1 [798kB]
Get:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main libmysqlclient16 5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3 [1,932kB]
Get:6 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main libdbd-mysql-perl 4.012-1ubuntu1 [135kB]
Get:7 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main mysql-client-core-5.1 5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3 [177kB]
Get:8 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main mysql-client-5.1 5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3 [8,138kB]
Get:9 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main mysql-server-core-5.1 5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3 [4,712kB]
Get:10 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main mysql-server-5.1 5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3 [7,008kB]
Get:11 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main libhtml-template-perl 2.9-1 [65.8kB]
Get:12 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main mysql-server 5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3 [93.4kB]
Fetched 23.2MB in 8s (2,897kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously deselected package mysql-common.
(Reading database ... 22070 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking mysql-common (from .../mysql-common_5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libnet-daemon-perl.
Unpacking libnet-daemon-perl (from .../libnet-daemon-perl_0.43-1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libplrpc-perl.
Unpacking libplrpc-perl (from .../libplrpc-perl_0.2020-2_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libdbi-perl.
Unpacking libdbi-perl (from .../libdbi-perl_1.609-1build1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libmysqlclient16.
Unpacking libmysqlclient16 (from .../libmysqlclient16_5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libdbd-mysql-perl.
Unpacking libdbd-mysql-perl (from .../libdbd-mysql-perl_4.012-1ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package mysql-client-core-5.1.
Unpacking mysql-client-core-5.1 (from .../mysql-client-core-5.1_5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package mysql-client-5.1.
Unpacking mysql-client-5.1 (from .../mysql-client-5.1_5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package mysql-server-core-5.1.
Unpacking mysql-server-core-5.1 (from .../mysql-server-core-5.1_5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3_i386.deb) ...
Setting up mysql-common (5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3) ...
Selecting previously deselected package mysql-server-5.1.
(Reading database ... 22438 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking mysql-server-5.1 (from .../mysql-server-5.1_5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package libhtml-template-perl.
Unpacking libhtml-template-perl (from .../libhtml-template-perl_2.9-1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package mysql-server.
Unpacking mysql-server (from .../mysql-server_5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3_all.deb) ...
Setting up libnet-daemon-perl (0.43-1) ...
Setting up libplrpc-perl (0.2020-2) ...
Setting up libdbi-perl (1.609-1build1) ...
Setting up libmysqlclient16 (5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3) ...

Setting up libdbd-mysql-perl (4.012-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up mysql-client-core-5.1 (5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3) ...
Setting up mysql-client-5.1 (5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3) ...
Setting up mysql-server-core-5.1 (5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3) ...
Setting up mysql-server-5.1 (5.1.41-3ubuntu12.3) ...

And it hangs at this point. The shell is not returned to me.

#### OUTPUT: /var/log/syslog ####

Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: PLEASE REMEMBER TO SET A PASSWORD FOR THE MySQL root USER !
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: To do so, start the server, then issue the following commands:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: /usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root password 'new-password'
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: /usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h protozoa.kurtkraut.net password 'new-passw$
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: Alternatively you can run:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: which will also give you the option of removing the test
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: databases and anonymous user created by default. This is
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: strongly recommended for production servers.
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: See the manual for more instructions.
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: Please report any problems with the /usr/scripts/mysqlbug script!
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: The latest information about MySQL is available at http://www.mysql.com/
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]: Support MySQL by buying support/licenses from http://shop.mysql.com/
Jul 26 12:20:05 protozoa mysqld[20224]:
Jul 26 12:20:12 protozoa init: mysql main process (20357) terminated with status 1
Jul 26 12:20:12 protozoa init: mysql main process ended, respawning

#### OUTPUT: ps aux ####

root@protozoa:~# ps aux
USER PID %CPU %MEM VSZ RSS TTY STAT START TIME COMMAND
root 1 0.0 0.6 2464 1376 ? Ss 12:18 0:00 init
root 14322 0.0 0.4 2300 904 ? Ss 12:18 0:00 cron
syslog 15404 0.0 0.3 1912 672 ? Ss 12:18 0:00 /sbin/syslogd -u syslog
root 15405 0.0 0.4 5468 908 ? Ss 12:18 0:00 /usr/sbin/sshd
root 15436 0.0 0.4 2420 872 ? Ss 12:18 0:00 /usr/sbin/xinetd -pidfile /var/run/xinetd.pid -st
root 15471 0.0 0.8 11028 1736 ? Ss 12:18 0:00 sendmail: MTA: accepting connections
root 15495 0.0 1.1 5148 2340 ? Ss 12:18 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start
www-data 15497 0.0 0.8 5148 1744 ? S 12:18 0:00 /usr/sbin/apache2 -k start
root 15539 0.0 1.5 8404 3104 ? Ss 12:19 0:00 sshd: root@pts/0
root 15553 0.0 0.9 4480 1872 pts/0 Ss 12:19 0:00 -bash
root 15601 0.2 13.6 42684 26860 pts/0 Sl+ 12:19 0:00 aptitude install mysql-server
root 15646 0.0 1.6 8476 3188 ? Ss 12:19 0:00 sshd: root@pts/1
root 18235 0.0 0.9 4480 1852 pts/1 Ss 12:19 0:00 -bash
root 20182 0.0 1.3 5232 2704 pts/2 Ss+ 12:20 0:00 /usr/bin/dpkg --status-fd 26 --configure libnet-d
root 20192 0.0 3.7 10444 7380 pts/2 S+ 12:20 0:00 /usr/bin/perl -w /usr/share/debconf/frontend /var
root 20202 0.0 0.7 4240 1492 pts/2 S+ 12:20 0:00 /bin/bash -e /var/lib/dpkg/info/mysql-server-5.1.
root 20352 0.0 0.5 3716 1052 pts/2 S+ 12:20 0:00 start mysql
root 20358 0.0 0.2 1756 488 ? Ss 12:20 0:00 /bin/sh -e /proc/self/fd/9
root 28201 0.0 0.2 1696 424 ? S 12:25 0:00 sleep 1
root 28202 0.0 0.5 2640 1012 pts/1 R+ 12:25 0:00 ps aux

You can see aptitude is still running but with 0.0% of CPU.

I belive there is something wrong with the install scripts