package mysql-server-5.5 5.5.22-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1

[Jason Lefkowitz]

Tried to install a fresh copy of mysql-server after doing an apt-get purge of an old version. Ran this command:

apt-get install mysql-server

Got this error:

Setting up mysql-server-5.5 (5.5.22-0ubuntu1) ...
start: Job failed to start
invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error processing mysql-server-5.5 (--configure):
subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mysql-server:
mysql-server depends on mysql-server-5.5; however:
Package mysql-server-5.5 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing mysql-server (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
No apport report written because the error message indicates its a followup error from a previous failure.
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: mysql-server-5.5 5.5.22-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu8
AptOrdering:
 mysql-server-5.5: Install
 mysql-server: Install
 mysql-server-5.5: Configure
 mysql-server: Configure
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed Jun 6 12:21:41 2012
DuplicateSignature:
 Setting up mysql-server-5.5 (5.5.22-0ubuntu1) ...
 start: Job failed to start
 invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "start" failed.
 dpkg: error processing mysql-server-5.5 (--configure):
  subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Logs.var.log.daemon.log:

MySQLConf.etc.mysql.conf.d.mysqld.safe.syslog.cnf:
 [mysqld_safe]
 syslog
MySQLVarLibDirListing: ['ib_logfile0', 'test', 'ccsp', 'trackmyclips', 'lefkowire', 'ibdata1', 'debian-5.5.flag', 'chamber', 'ourwalmart', 'mysql', 'ib_logfile1', 'debian-5.1.flag', 'tmc2', 'debian-5.0.flag', 'phb', 'fdlmu', 'mysql_upgrade_info', 'planetlabor']
SourcePackage: mysql-5.5
Title: package mysql-server-5.5 5.5.22-0ubuntu1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-04-27 (40 days ago)

[Apport retracing service (apport)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this crash and helping to make this software better. This particular crash has already been reported and is a duplicate of bug #989353, so is being marked as such. Please look at the other bug report to see if there is any missing information that you can provide, or to see if there is a workaround for the bug. Additionally, any further discussion regarding the bug should occur in the other report. Please continue to report any other bugs you may find.