[SOLVED] MySQL dead

[rtpmatt]

It seems that my MySQL server has died...or something, im really nut sure what to do to fix it (im not exactly a guru) when i try to start it with

 

sudo /etc/init.d/mysql start

 

i get this:

 

Starting MySQL database server: mysqld.
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...failed or took more than 6s.
        Please take a look at the syslog.
/usr/bin/mysqladmin: connect to server at 'localhost' failed
error: 'Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock' (2)'
Check that mysqld is running and that the socket: '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock' exists!
[2]-  Done                    sudo /etc/init.d/mysql start >/dev/null 2>&1

 

I don't ever really start it manually, it normally just starts when I restart, or if I REALLY need to I use webmin, but i wanted to give some output 

 

I really don't know what happened, or what I did, I havn't been using it for much other than some simple image hosting lately.  I havn't added anything to the database in the last couple weeks.

 

I'm not too worried i suppose, but I would REALLY like to be able to backup my databases.  Is there any easy way i can copy them (ie: specifically what files can i copy etc.)  My server could use a reinstall i suppose.

 

Also if someone can direct me to where i can start looking for some help to get it working that would be nice.  If i can get it working without reinstalling, that would be a lot easier for me.

 

I am running the Ubuntu LAMP server v6.06 i believe

 

thanks for any help

 

-matt

 

PS: Apache seems fine if you need to know

[rtpmatt]

Update:

 

i am now trying to copy everything from /var/lib/mysql, will this be everything i need to get my DBs back?

[fenway]

Quite likely...

[rtpmatt]

Yes, that seems to have worked...getting everything up and working was a pain in the ass, but it did work.  thanks

 

-matt