ghost files and error code 13 (mysql binlog files)

[mimo <mimo@restoel.net>]

Hi

I had a "problem" with my mysql server the other day and since then it shows 
two mysql binary log files which I can only think of calling ghost files. 

 # ls -l /var/log/mysql/
 ..
 -rw-rw---- 1 mysql adm       1352 2008-02-25 19:34 bin.index
 -rw-rw---- 1 mysql adm        117 2007-06-14 00:22 relay.000060
 -rw-rw---- 1 mysql adm        117 2007-06-14 01:50 relay.000061
 -rw-rw---- 1 mysql adm         56 2007-06-14 00:23 relay.index
 -rw-rw---- 1 mysql adm         58 2007-06-14 00:23 relay.info
 ?--------- ? ?     ?            ?                ? /var/log/mysql/bin.000744
 ?--------- ? ?     ?            ?                ? /var/log/mysql/bin.000774

# stat /var/log/mysql/bin.000744
 stat: cannot stat `/var/log/mysql/bin.000744': Permission denied

Note I am doing this as root. Here another command.

# chown root  /var/log/mysql/bin.000744
 chown: cannot access `/var/log/mysql/bin.000744': Permission denied

Basically, any operation I could think of so far ends in Permission denied 
(13).

This is a reiserfs filesystem on Linux 2.6.18-5-686 #1 SMP Wed Oct 3 00:12:50 
UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux (debian/etch)

I've unmounted the filesystem and run fsck -r. No difference. Rebooted etc. 
I've also run a smartctl extended test and it didnt report any errors. The 
whole machine seems fines otherwise. 
My little theory is that when the machine had its "problem" and my colleague 
tried killing mysqld to no avail and ended up rebooting the machine something 
(mysql?) somehow put some sort of special lock on those two files and now 
they're hanging around and still waiting for something for happen. I know 
it's not a great theory...

Any help appreciated!

Thanks,

mimo