MySQL installation from deb, permissions issues - mysql

Question

I am trying to install MySQL on ubuntu 14.04 from the deb packages. I am having trouble starting the mysql server, it looks like a permissions problem. I followed the steps outlined here. Downloaded/untarred/installed deb tar bundle.
sudo apt-get install libaio1
tar -xvf mysql-server_5.7.4-m14-2ubuntu14.04_amd64.deb-bundle.tar
md5sum mysql-server_5.7.4-m14-2ubuntu14.04_amd64.deb-bundle.tar
sudo dpkg -i mysql-common_5.7.4-m14-2ubuntu14.04_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i mysql-community-server_5.7.4-m14-2ubuntu14.04_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i mysql-community-client_5.7.4-m14-2ubuntu14.04_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i libmysqlclient18_5.7.4-m14-2ubuntu14.04_amd64.deb
Here is where the files are installed on my system:
All configuration files (like my.cnf) are under /etc.
All binaries, libraries, headers, etc., are under /usr.
The data directory is under /var.
Following these instructions
I create a mysql group and user:
groupadd mysql
useradd -r -g mysql mysql
I change the ownership of mysql scripts to mysql (as per the instructions, but doubt this is necesssary)
cd /usr/bin
sudo chown mysql mysq*
sudo chgrp mysql mysq*
I run mysql_install_db to set up grant tables
sudo mysql_install_db --user=mysql
I switch back to root the ownership and group of mysql scripts.
cd /usr/bin
sudo chown root mysq*
sudo chgrp root mysq*
I change the ownership and group of /data to mysql. Location is /var/lib/mysql
cd /var/lib
ls -l mysql
total 122896
-rw-rw-rw- 1 mysql mysql 56 Jul 26 10:17 auto.cnf
-rw-rw-rw- 1 mysql mysql 12582912 Jul 26 10:17 ibdata1
-rw-rw-rw- 1 mysql mysql 50331648 Jul 26 10:17 ib_logfile0
-rw-rw-rw- 1 mysql mysql 50331648 Jul 24 17:36 ib_logfile1
-rw-rw---- 1 mysql mysql 12582912 Jul 26 10:17 ibtmp1
drwxrwxrw- 2 mysql mysql 4096 Jul 24 17:36 mysql
drwxrw-rw- 2 mysql mysql 4096 Jul 24 17:36 performance_schema
drwxrw-rw- 2 mysql mysql 4096 Jul 24 17:36 test
Now, when I try to start the mysql server, I get permission errors:
mysqld_safe --user=mysql &
[4] 5680
/var/lib$ 140727 00:42:17 mysqld_safe Logging to '/var/log/mysql/error.log'.
cat: /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid: Permission denied
rm: cannot remove ‘/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid’: Permission denied
140727 00:42:17 mysqld_safe Fatal error: Can't remove the pid file:
/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid
Please remove it manually and start /usr/bin/mysqld_safe again;
mysqld daemon not started
/usr/bin/mysqld_safe: 129: /usr/bin/mysqld_safe: cannot create /var/log/mysql/error.log: Permission denied
Similarly, if I try to start the server as root:
mysqld_safe -p -u root
140727 00:54:08 mysqld_safe Logging to '/var/log/mysql/error.log'.
140727 00:54:08 mysqld_safe Starting mysqld daemon with databases from /var/lib/mysql
/usr/bin/mysqld_safe: 129: /usr/bin/mysqld_safe: cannot create /var/log/mysql/error.log: Permission denied
/usr/bin/mysqld_safe: 1: eval: cannot create /var/log/mysql/error.log: Permission denied
140727 00:54:08 mysqld_safe mysqld from pid file /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid ended
/usr/bin/mysqld_safe: 129: /usr/bin/mysqld_safe: cannot create /var/log/mysql/error.log: Permission denied
Apparently there are many places where I should be changing permissions, which does not look like the way to go. Three questions:
Is there some evident point where I went wrong, or should I just uninstall and apt-get everything?
Should I have owner mysql and group mysql for all files that the server needs to update?
Is there a comprehensive list of locations where these files are?

Answer 1

You cannot create /var/log/mysql/error.log. First create the directory if it doesn't exist
sudo mkdir -p /var/log/mysql
Next, change ownership
sudo chown -R mysql /var/log/mysql
and then try again to start the server as root:
sudo mysqld_safe --user=mysql &
If the server does not start paste here the error messages