MySQL Not Restarting in cPanel: Troubleshooting Steps

If MySQL won't restart on your cPanel server, here's a systematic approach to diagnose and fix the issue:

Step 1: Check MySQL Error Logs

First identify why MySQL won't start by checking the error logs:

tail -n 100 /var/lib/mysql/hostname.err
# or
tail -n 100 /var/log/mysqld.log

Common log locations:

• /var/log/mysqld.log

• /var/lib/mysql/hostname.err(replace hostname with your server's hostname)

• /usr/local/mysql/data/hostname.err

Step 2: Common Fixes Based on Errors

A. Insufficient Memory

Symptoms: "Could not allocate memory" errors
Fix:

# Reduce MySQL memory settings in my.cnf
nano /etc/my.cnf

Add/modify these values (adjust based on your server RAM):

innodb_buffer_pool_size = 64M
key_buffer_size = 32M
query_cache_size = 32M

B. Corrupt Tables

Symptoms: "Table is marked as crashed" errors
Fix:

# Repair all databases
mysqlcheck -A --auto-repair -u root -p

C. Disk Space Issues

Symptoms: "No space left on device"
Fix:

df -h # Check disk space
# If /var is full:
rm -f /var/lib/mysql/ib_logfile* # Remove old log files (MySQL will recreate them)

D. Permission Issues

Symptoms: "Can't create/write to file" errors
Fix:

chown -R mysql:mysql /var/lib/mysql
chmod -R 755 /var/lib/mysql

Step 3: Manual MySQL Start Attempt

Try starting MySQL manually with logging:

/usr/bin/mysqld_safe --log-error=/var/log/mysqld.log &

Step 4: Advanced Troubleshooting

Check for Zombie Processes

ps aux | grep mysql
kill -9 [PID] # For any stuck MySQL processes

Verify Configuration

mysqld --verbose --help | grep -A 1 "Default options"

Check for Port Conflicts

netstat -tulnp | grep 3306

Step 5: Final Restart Attempt

After applying fixes:

/scripts/restartsrv_mysql
# or
service mysqld restart
# or for newer systems
systemctl restart mysqld

Step 6: If All Else Fails

1. Start in recovery mode:

   mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &

2. Reinstall MySQL(last resort):

   yum remove mysql mysql-server
   rm -rf /var/lib/mysql
   yum install mysql mysql-server
   /scripts/restartsrv_mysql

cPanel-Specific Tips

• Use WHM's "MySQL Server Status" (Home > SQL Services > MySQL Server Status)

• Check "MySQL Management" in WHM for configuration options

• Consider running/scripts/mysqlup --forceif upgrading failed

Always back up your databases before attempting major repairs or reinstalls. If you're not comfortable with these steps, contact Imageleet support team and we will be glad to assist.

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