package mariadb-server-5.5 5.5.44-1ubuntu0.14.04.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1 - VirtualBox environment

[Techedemic]

I tried to install mysql-workbench, which proceeded to remove MariaDB (I assume this is a dependency issue/resolution mechanism). The installation did not finish and I did an 'apt-get -f install' to resolve dependency issues and get MariaDB up and working again.

The above error is shown on boot-up of my VirtualBox VM

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: mariadb-server-5.5 5.5.44-1ubuntu0.14.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-63.103-generic 3.13.11-ckt25
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-63-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.18
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Nov 3 08:31:08 2015
DuplicateSignature: package:mariadb-server-5.5:5.5.44-1ubuntu0.14.04.1:subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2015-09-02 (62 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.17.5ubuntu5.4
 apt 1.0.1ubuntu2.10
SourcePackage: mariadb-5.5
Title: package mariadb-server-5.5 5.5.44-1ubuntu0.14.04.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Otto Kekäläinen (otto)]

If mysql-workbench has wrong dependencies, please file a bug report against mysql-workbench in Debian and it will eventually be solved in Ubuntu too.

Terminal log says this:
   * Stopping MariaDB database server mysqld ail]
  invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "stop" failed

For some reason the mysqld failed to stop automatically.

What did syslog or /var/log/mysql/error.log say?

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for mariadb-5.5 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]