Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-19

How to Fix: MySQL server 5.5 on CentOS 6.5 error: "mysqld: unrecognized service"

MySQL server error on CentOS 6.5

Quick Answer: Run the MySQL server as root by adding the "--user-root 026 option when starting the service.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. ⚠️ Common Causes
  2. ✅ Best Solutions to Fix It
  3. ✨ Wrapping Up

The MySQL server 5.5 on CentOS 6.5 error 'mysqld: unrecognized service' affects users who have installed MySQL Server 5.5 from a .rpm package using the default .rpm installer, but are unable to start the mysqld process. This issue is frustrating because it prevents users from running MySQL queries using the mysqld command, despite being able to run them successfully using the mysql client.

This error can be resolved by identifying and addressing the root cause of the problem, which may involve modifying system configuration files or installing additional packages.

⚠️ Common Causes

  • The primary reason for this error is that the mysqld service is not recognized by the system due to a mismatch between the service name used in the .rpm installer and the one defined in the system's configuration files. This can occur when using a repository-independent installation method.
  • An alternative cause may be related to permissions issues or incorrect ownership of critical system files, which could prevent the mysqld service from being recognized.

✅ Best Solutions to Fix It

Modifying System Configuration Files

  1. Step 1: Edit the /etc/systemd/system/mysqld.service file to ensure that the ServiceFile and ExecStartLines are correctly set. The correct format for these lines should be: ServiceFile=/usr/lib/systemd/system/mysqld.service ExecStart=/usr/sbin/mysqld --datadir=/var/lib/mysql
  2. Step 2: Create a new systemd service file for mysqld, if one does not already exist, and configure it to run as the root user. This can be done using the following command: sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/mysqld.service
  3. Step 3: Reload the systemd daemon to apply the changes: sudo systemctl daemon-reload

Installing Additional Packages

  1. Step 1: Install the mysql-server package from the CentOS repository, which should include the necessary configuration files and services for mysqld. This can be done using the following command: sudo yum install mysql-server
  2. Step 2: Restart the mysqld service to apply any changes made by the installation process

✨ Wrapping Up

To resolve the MySQL server 5.5 on CentOS 6.5 error 'mysqld: unrecognized service', users should first identify and address the root cause of the problem, which may involve modifying system configuration files or installing additional packages. By following the steps outlined in this guide, users can successfully start the mysqld process and run MySQL queries using the mysqld command.

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