have tried the selinux disablement to no effect - thanks for tip.
I now see on further investigation of hourly messages to root from cron
- starting Dec 25, that usr/sbin/mcelog generates "cannot execute binary" as well.
I give up, time stamps on these messages are for when I was away and machine
switched off! I don't believe there is a machine error but conceivably there might be.
I can use the system whatever else is going on except for mysql and I will just have to forego
that service until such time as inspiration or catastrophe on other uses hits!