[Bug 501655] Re: package mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[LanoxxthShaddow]

I can confirm this bug, and that the solution from brian works. I have
summed it up, changed the bug description and set status to in progress,
since with this solution I was able to successfully upgrade Mysql.

Cheers Lanoxx

---Solution---
If the user is not in the database you can fix it with these statements:

1. Step one, get the password for "debian-sys-maint":
~$ sudo cat /etc/mysql/debian.cnf |grep debian -C 5
[client]
host     = localhost
user     = debian-sys-maint
password = XXXXXXXXXX
socket   = /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock
[mysql_upgrade]
user     = debian-sys-maint
password = XXXXXXXXXX
socket   = /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock
basedir  = /usr
2. Login to mysql as root and create the user "debian-sys-maint" with the password from above
~$mysql -uroot -p
***
>GRANT ALL ON *.* TO 'debian-sys-maint'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'XXXXXXXXXX';


** Description changed:

- i was trying to remove and update mysql. I ran following 
- sudo apt-get remove mysql*
+ Upgrading or shutting down mysql fails with exit status 1. This is due
+ to a missing system-maintainer user in the mysql user database. To
+ reproduce this bug, ensure that the user "debian-sys-maint" is not in
+ the mysql.user database.
  
- ProblemType: Package
- Architecture: i386
- Date: Wed Dec 30 20:38:32 2009
- DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
- ErrorMessage: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
- MySQLConf.etc.mysql.conf.d.mysqld.safe.syslog.cnf:
-  [mysqld_safe]
-  syslog
- MySQLVarLibDirListing: ['sinnebild', 'coulomb2', 'joomla', 'ibdata1', 'mysql', 'debian-5.1.flag', 'debian-5.0.flag', 'drupal', 'sandbox', 'ib_logfile0', 'mysql_upgrade_info', 'ib_logfile1', 'test', 'andrewmarc_db', 'magento', 'andrewmarc']
- NonfreeKernelModules: wl nvidia
- Package: mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5
- ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-16.53-generic
- SourcePackage: mysql-dfsg-5.1
- Title: package mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
- Uname: Linux 2.6.31-16-generic i686
+ ---Problem---
+ Changes for the versions:
+ 5.1.37-1ubuntu5
+ 5.1.37-1ubuntu5.1
+ 
+ Error alert said:
+ E: /var/cache/apt/archives/mysql-server-5.1_5.1.37-1ubuntu5.1_amd64.deb: subprocess new pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
+ 
+ bip at apollo:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/mysql stop
+  * Stopping MySQL database server mysqld [fail]
+ bip at apollo:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/mysql status
+ /usr/bin/mysqladmin: connect to server at 'localhost' failed
+ error: 'Access denied for user 'debian-sys-maint'@'localhost' (using password: YES)'
+  *bip at apollo:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/mysql status
+ /usr/bin/mysqladmin: connect to server at 'localhost' failed
+ error: 'Access denied for user 'debian-sys-maint'@'localhost' (using password: YES)'
+ -- snip --/usPreparing to replace mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5 (using .../mysql-server-5.1_5.1.37-1ubuntu5.1_amd64.deb) ...
+  * Stopping MySQL database server mysqld
+    ...fail!
+ invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "stop" failed.
+ dpkg: warning: old pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
+ dpkg - trying script from the new package instead ...
+  * Stopping MySQL database server mysqld
+    ...fail!

** Changed in: mysql-dfsg-5.1 (Ubuntu)
       Status: Invalid => In Progress

-- 
package mysql-server-5.1 5.1.37-1ubuntu5 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/501655
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