When i type mysqld_safe & (using any user...) i get this error in my error logs...

050627 18:33:15 mysqld started
^G/usr/sbin/mysqld: Can't read dir of '/root/tmp/' (Errcode: 13)
050627 18:33:15 InnoDB: Operating system error number 13 in a file operation.
InnoDB: See http://www.innodb.com/ibman.html for installation help.
InnoDB: The error means mysqld does not have the access rights to
InnoDB: the directory.
InnoDB: File name ./ibdata1
InnoDB: File operation call: 'open'.
InnoDB: Cannot continue operation.
050627 18:33:15 mysqld ended


and i tried changing the file permissions to 777 (i dont know much about chmod... kind of new to linux and i figured that made it readable, executable, and writable to everyone...) and it didnt work. anyone know how i can fix this?

did you install a database using mysql_install_db (I think this is the command, but check to be sure)

nope, i tried that and it wouldnt install so i installed it through urpmi

oh yea, these are the files i have installed if that helps...

[root@localhost mysql]# rpm -qa | grep mysql
libmysql12-4.0.18-1mdk
mysqlcc-0.9.4-1mdk
[root@localhost mysql]# rpm -qa | grep MySQL
MySQL-common-4.0.18-1mdk
MySQL-4.0.18-1mdk
MySQL-client-4.0.18-1mdk
[root@localhost mysql]#

Ok, i decided to try and re-install from the binary from the mysql.com website... and i get this error when trying to install it:

[root@localhost mysql]# scripts/mysql_install_db --user=mysql
Installing all prepared tables
./bin/mysqld: Can't read dir of '/root/tmp/' (Errcode: 13)
Fill help tables
./bin/mysqld: Can't read dir of '/root/tmp/' (Errcode: 13)

To start mysqld at boot time you have to copy support-files/mysql.server
to the right place for your system

PLEASE REMEMBER TO SET A PASSWORD FOR THE MySQL root USER !
To do so, start the server, then issue the following commands:
./bin/mysqladmin -u root password 'new-password'
./bin/mysqladmin -u root -h localhost password 'new-password'
See the manual for more instructions.

NOTE: If you are upgrading from a MySQL <= 3.22.10 you should run
the ./bin/mysql_fix_privilege_tables. Otherwise you will not be
able to use the new GRANT command!

You can start the MySQL daemon with:
cd . ; ./bin/mysqld_safe &

You can test the MySQL daemon with the benchmarks in the 'sql-bench' directory:
cd sql-bench ; perl run-all-tests

Please report any problems with the ./bin/mysqlbug script!

The latest information about MySQL is available on the web at
http://www.mysql.com
Support MySQL by buying support/licenses at https://order.mysql.com
[root@localhost mysql]#

and once again its a problem with reading the tmp dir... i checked to see if root owns that dir (i messed up ownership yesterday...) and it does... im so confused... im trying to learn to implement MySQL into c++ and without begin able to use mysql its kind of pointless..

EDIT:
sorry for posting so many times... i had just reolized stuff that could help someone help me and didnt think of using edit to post it until just now...

Ok, update on info... i uninstalled the urpmi and downloaded the rpm's from the mysql database and when installing that i get an error saying cant read '/root/tmp' too... so i guess the question has changed to how can i make it so the programs can read into that directory? ive searched for google for it and only things helpful i came up with are chmod, chroot, and chgrp and ive tried changing all 3 of those and none work...

How did you use chown?

like this?

chown -R user:group folder

this is the correct way (above)

::blink:: wow... i could have sworn i tried that... but figured id try it again and it worked... i got mysql installed! thanks a ton!

scratch that... the MySQL server is still getting that error... the others installed cleanly, but the server is still acting up (im using the RPM's from the mysql.com website...)

EDIT:
tried restart, and tried it on a diffrent kernel, neither worked... why does MySQL have to be so difficult?! i would steal my moms CD tray (since mine is broken off...) and do a fresh install but that would lead to having to re-download a ton of stuff (and on a dailup connection... would take a few days non-stop to download it all...)

Or, since MySQL wount work if anyone has an alternitive for it (that works in a simular way) that i can use with c++ (im learning c++ while making a MUD -multi user dungeon- and was saving stuff in the MySQL database... so any alternatives to it?

EDIT:
although the alternative maybe wouldnt be the best idea since i am pretty new to C++ and it would probly take me close to forever to figure it out...

sorry for staying on this, but i really need it fixed... i reolized i didnt post the error i was getting while trying to run the RPM for the server...

[root@localhost root]# rpm -i MySQL-server-4.1.12-1.i386.rpm
warning: MySQL-server-4.1.12-1.i386.rpm: V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 5072e1f5
050628 20:57:35 [Warning] Asked for 196608 thread stack, but got 126976
/usr/sbin/mysqld: Can't read dir of '/root/tmp/' (Errcode: 13)
050628 20:57:36 [Warning] Asked for 196608 thread stack, but got 126976
/usr/sbin/mysqld: Can't read dir of '/root/tmp/' (Errcode: 13)
PLEASE REMEMBER TO SET A PASSWORD FOR THE MySQL root USER !
To do so, start the server, then issue the following commands:
/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root password 'new-password'
/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h localhost password 'new-password'
See the manual for more instructions.

NOTE: If you are upgrading from a MySQL <= 3.22.10 you should run
the /usr/bin/mysql_fix_privilege_tables. Otherwise you will not be
able to use the new GRANT command!

Please report any problems with the /usr/bin/mysqlbug script!

The latest information about MySQL is available on the web at
http://www.mysql.com
Support MySQL by buying support/licenses at https://order.mysql.com
Starting MySQL....................................[FAILED]

^thats the error i get... please help anyone...

Hi There,

Had the same problem now fixed. The problem appears to be the /root directory permission. The user mysql cannot access it let alone the /root/tmp. I did a chmod 777 /root and also chmod 777 /root/tmp. Install worked fine.

WARNING!? This sounds a bit unsafe to me but I am no expert so will try later to rescind those perms.....

Regards

Ian

I think it is because your TMPDIR variable is set to /root/tmp
change to /tmp
and that do works

(mysqld is running with the mysql user which don't have permission on /root/tmp)

Thanks dalmassoc

# TMPDIR=/tmp

and the install script works a treat