Best method for stopping/starting MySQL?

[Tim Legg <kc0ofc@yahoo.com>]

Hello again!

I would like to shutdown mysql periodically to make backups of the databases.  I would like to know what is the official Debian way of stopping and restarting MySQL.



When I follow the intuitive steps for shutting it down, it doesn't work.

# /etc/init.d/mysql stop
Stopping MySQL database server: mysqld failed!

So I investigate further and find that this doesn't work either

# mysqladmin shutdown
mysqladmin: connect to server at 'localhost' failed
error: 'Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: NO)'

I am root and should be able to do anything...

So I do cooperate and provide it a user and password

# mysqladmin -u root -p shutdown 
Enter password: 
# 

And so it works.  Starting it back up isn't nearly as clean though

# /etc/init.d/mysql start
Starting MySQL database server: mysqld.
Checking for corrupt, not cleanly closed and upgrade needing tables..
/usr/bin/mysqladmin: connect to server at 'localhost' failed
error: 'Access denied for user 'debian-sys-maint'@'localhost' (using password: YES)'
ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user 'debian-sys-maint'@'localhost' (using password: YES)

So, I choose to reboot the system instead.  Is there a better way?

Tim Legg