Feb-2014 - mysql-server 12.04 update failure

[bl8n8r]

while applying latest ubuntu server x86_64 mysql-server-5.5.35-0ubuntu0.12.04.2 update, mysql-server becomes completely broken, bruised, battered, botched and b0rked. Unable to start mysql. No lock files, no stale sockets, all tables were working fine prior to update. dpkg is unable to install anything now because mysql-server is unconfigured. aptitude reinstall does not produce a working mysql daemon. no success with aptitude install after after issuing apt-get remove, autoremove, autoclean (and/or equivalent aptitude incantations). Have also tried removing/purging/cleaning/autoremove/autoclean followed by deletion of /etc/mysql as well as all production tables in /var/lib/mysql to no effect. something is simply busted with mysql-server-5.5 update. Curiosly enough, /usr/bin/mysqld_safe DID INDEED start the production mysql instance (prior to apt/aptitude battle this morning).

# start mysql
start: Job failed to start

# stop mysql
stop: Unknown job: mysql

# tail /var/log/kern.log
...
Feb 4 09:20:00 dmz-mysql-1 kernel: [88695.675394] init: mysql pre-start process (25686) terminated with status 1
Feb 4 09:20:08 dmz-mysql-1 kernel: [88703.653419] init: mysql pre-start process (25933) terminated with status 1

# aptitude install libnss-ldap
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  mysql-server mysql-server-5.5
No packages will be installed, upgraded, or removed.
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 0 B will be used.
Setting up mysql-server-5.5 (5.5.35-0ubuntu0.12.04.2) ...
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
No apport report written because MaxReports is reached already
                                                              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 MaxReports is reached already
                                                              Errors were encountered while processing:
 mysql-server-5.5
 mysql-server
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install. Trying to recover:
Setting up mysql-server-5.5 (5.5.35-0ubuntu0.12.04.2) ...
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
Errors were encountered while processing:
 mysql-server-5.5
 mysql-server

[bl8n8r (bl8n8r)]

UPDATE: it appears that removing apparmor allows mysql to start! Apparmor was reinstalled after mysql-server was running correctly and all seems to be working now.

# aptitude purge apparmor
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  apparmor{p}
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  mysql-server mysql-server-5.5
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 4 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 1,081 kB will be freed.
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 apparmor-utils : Depends: apparmor (>= 2.6.1-4ubuntu1) but it is not going to be installed.
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

     Remove the following packages:
1) apparmor-utils

     Leave the following dependencies unresolved:
2) ubuntu-standard recommends apparmor

Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] y
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  apparmor{p} apparmor-utils{a}
The following partially installed packages will be configured:
  mysql-server mysql-server-5.5
0 packages upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 4 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B of archives. After unpacking 1,609 kB will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] y
(Reading database ... 122186 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing apparmor-utils ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
(Reading database ... 122132 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing apparmor ...
 * Clearing AppArmor profiles cache [ OK ]
All profile caches have been cleared, but no profiles have been unloaded.
Unloading profiles will leave already running processes permanently
unconfined, which can lead to unexpected situations.

To set a process to complain mode, use the command line tool
'aa-complain'. To really tear down all profiles, run the init script
with the 'teardown' option."
Purging configuration files for apparmor ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
Setting up mysql-server-5.5 (5.5.35-0ubuntu0.12.04.2) ...
mysql start/running, process 10541
Setting up mysql-server (5.5.35-0ubuntu0.12.04.2) ...

# ps -ef | grep mysql
mysql 10541 1 0 09:55 ? 00:00:00 /usr/sbin/mysqld
root 10717 4147 0 09:56 pts/2 00:00:00 grep mysql

# aptitude install apparmor
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  apparmor
0 packages upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 4 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/357 kB of archives. After unpacking 1,081 kB will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
Selecting previously unselected package apparmor.
(Reading database ... 122030 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking apparmor (from .../apparmor_2.7.102-0ubuntu3.9_amd64.deb) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead ...
Processing triggers for man-db ...
Setting up apparmor (2.7.102-0ubuntu3.9) ...
 * Starting AppArmor profiles [ OK ]
 * Reloading AppArmor p...