This part is OK (not a bug), mysqladmin works as documented: "This means mysql is always regarded as running if the password in /etc/mysql/debian.cnf is wrong". It's so because if server says "access denied" it means there is a running server to say so.
As for this part: "but always regarded as being down if the password in /etc/mysql/debian.cnf", it seems your sentence is not complete. Do you mean there is problem if /etc/mysql/debian.cnf just does not exist or is nor readable by the user that runs MySQL server? Please, clarify.
Tobias,
This part is OK (not a bug), mysqladmin works as documented: "This means mysql is always regarded as running if the password in /etc/mysql/ debian. cnf is wrong". It's so because if server says "access denied" it means there is a running server to say so.
As for this part: "but always regarded as being down if the password in /etc/mysql/ debian. cnf", it seems your sentence is not complete. Do you mean there is problem if /etc/mysql/ debian. cnf just does not exist or is nor readable by the user that runs MySQL server? Please, clarify.