mysqld fails to start

[Bob Manocchia]

I've installed the mysql depot and the mysql user. I ran su - mysql and tried running the mysqld daemon. I get the following error:
./mysqld
InnoDB: The first specified data file ./ibdata1 did not exist:
InnoDB: a new database to be created!
061003 14:53:48 InnoDB: Setting file ./ibdata1 size to 10 MB
InnoDB: Database physically writes the file full: wait...
061003 14:53:48 InnoDB: Log file ./ib_logfile0 did not exist: new to be created
InnoDB: Setting log file ./ib_logfile0 size to 5 MB
InnoDB: Database physically writes the file full: wait...
061003 14:53:48 InnoDB: Log file ./ib_logfile1 did not exist: new to be created
InnoDB: Setting log file ./ib_logfile1 size to 5 MB
InnoDB: Database physically writes the file full: wait...
InnoDB: Doublewrite buffer not found: creating new
InnoDB: Doublewrite buffer created
InnoDB: Creating foreign key constraint system tables
InnoDB: Foreign key constraint system tables created
061003 14:53:49 InnoDB: Started; log sequence number 0 0
061003 14:53:49 [ERROR] Fatal error: Can't open and lock privilege tables: Table 'mysql.host' doesn't exist

Any help would be appreciated.

[Michal Toth]

looks like your data is not in the standard place... start mysqld with --datadir pointing to where your datadir is (and mysql.host file as well)

also I would recommend browsing through mysql.com forums, i bet you'll find gazillion posts about this message there

[Stuart Browne]

I'll start by recomending *NOT* starting mysql by directly calling 'mysqld'.

Use either the system start routine ('/etc/init.d/mysql' or '/etc/init.d/mysqld'), or by using 'safe_mysqld'.

Both of these use the less-privileged user and the correct flags to start the database server intelligently and pointing to the correct data and log directories.

[Bob Manocchia]

Thanks all. I've successfully started using msql_safe. Thanks for the tip.