~$ sudo apt-get remove --purge mysql-server-5.0 && sudo apt-get autoclean && sudo apt-get install mysql-server Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required: lirc pwgen libfreebob0 libnet-daemon-perl libfaad2-0 liblzo1 libxml-sax-perl libparse-yapp-perl libmysqlclient15off libfame-0.9 libxml-perl fftw2 libquicktime1 php5 libswscale1d libjack0 python-imaging libdbi-perl libpvm3 libmp4v2-0 libtunepimp5 mplayer libdate-manip-perl libapr1 libxml-namespacesupport-perl libapache2-mod-php5 libxml-libxml-perl libmpich1.0c2 apache2-mpm-prefork libxml-libxml-common-perl apache2-utils dvdauthor apache2 ruby1.8 libx264-54 apache2.2-common python-qt3 ruby mplayer-skins libxml-simple-perl libggi2 python-sip4 expect libgii1 libdbd-mysql-perl liba52-0.7.4 ffmpeg transcode libxml-regexp-perl ntp libifp4 libgii1-target-x libdvdread3 libdc1394-13 tcl8.4 libcdaudio1 libavformat1d libplrpc-perl libxvidcore4 mjpegtools libpq5 libxml-xql-perl libmjpegtools0c2a libruby1.8 libg2c0 libaprutil1 vnc4-common libxml-dom-perl liblame0 mysql-common php5-common libnjb5 libofa0 libmpeg2-4 mysql-client-5.0 libfaac0 gcc-3.4-base Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them. The following packages will be REMOVED mysql-server-5.0* 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded. 1 not fully installed or removed. Need to get 0B of archives. After unpacking 87.8MB disk space will be freed. Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y (Reading database ... 108830 files and directories currently installed.) Removing mysql-server-5.0 ... * Stopping MySQL database server mysqld [ OK ] Purging configuration files for mysql-server-5.0 ... Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done Del kdelibs4c2a 4:3.5.8-0ubuntu1 [10.9MB] Del kdelibs-data 4:3.5.8-0ubuntu1 [7295kB] Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required: lirc pwgen libfreebob0 libfaad2-0 liblzo1 libxml-sax-perl libparse-yapp-perl libfame-0.9 libxml-perl fftw2 libquicktime1 php5 libswscale1d libjack0 python-imaging libpvm3 libmp4v2-0 libtunepimp5 mplayer libdate-manip-perl libapr1 libxml-namespacesupport-perl libapache2-mod-php5 libxml-libxml-perl libmpich1.0c2 apache2-mpm-prefork libxml-libxml-common-perl apache2-utils dvdauthor apache2 ruby1.8 libx264-54 apache2.2-common python-qt3 ruby mplayer-skins libxml-simple-perl libggi2 python-sip4 expect libgii1 liba52-0.7.4 ffmpeg transcode libxml-regexp-perl ntp libifp4 libgii1-target-x libdvdread3 libdc1394-13 tcl8.4 libcdaudio1 libavformat1d libxvidcore4 mjpegtools libpq5 libxml-xql-perl libmjpegtools0c2a libruby1.8 libg2c0 libaprutil1 vnc4-common libxml-dom-perl liblame0 php5-common libnjb5 libofa0 libmpeg2-4 libfaac0 gcc-3.4-base Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them. The following extra packages will be installed: mysql-server-5.0 Suggested packages: tinyca mysql-doc-5.0 Recommended packages: mailx The following NEW packages will be installed mysql-server mysql-server-5.0 0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0B/27.6MB of archives. After unpacking 87.9MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y Preconfiguring packages ... Selecting previously deselected package mysql-server-5.0. (Reading database ... 106914 files and directories currently installed.) Unpacking mysql-server-5.0 (from .../mysql-server-5.0_5.0.45-1ubuntu3_amd64.deb) ... Selecting previously deselected package mysql-server. Unpacking mysql-server (from .../mysql-server_5.0.45-1ubuntu3_all.deb) ... Setting up mysql-server-5.0 (5.0.45-1ubuntu3) ... * Stopping MySQL database server mysqld [ OK ] 071017 0:10:30 [ERROR] /usr/sbin/mysqld: unknown option '--skip-external-locsudo gedit /etc/mysql/my.cnfking' * Starting MySQL database server mysqld [fail] invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "start" failed. dpkg: error processing mysql-server-5.0 (--configure): subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1 dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mysql-server: mysql-server depends on mysql-server-5.0; however: Package mysql-server-5.0 is not configured yet. dpkg: error processing mysql-server (--configure): dependency problems - leaving unconfigured Errors were encountered while processing: mysql-server-5.0 mysql-server E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)