ERROR! MySQL is running but PID file could not be found - MariaDB 10.1 - CentOS 7 - Fresh VM So I'm having a little trouble with a BRAND new VM I just created today to test a Galera Cluster. 

What I have done so far is...


Download and install the latest CentOS 7 in a VM.
Install open-vm-tools and configure SSH
Install MariaDB Repo and install MariaDB 10.1 via 

    cat &lt;&lt; 'EOL' &gt;/etc/yum.repos.d/MariaDB.repo
    # MariaDB 10.1 CentOS repository list - created 2016-12-21 16:21 UTC
    # http://downloads.mariadb.org/mariadb/repositories/
    [mariadb]
    name = MariaDB
    baseurl = http://yum.mariadb.org/10.1/centos7-amd64
    gpgkey=https://yum.mariadb.org/RPM-GPG-KEY-MariaDB
    gpgcheck=1
    EOL
    yum install MariaDB-server MariaDB-client



Now I get this error, but I am able to get to the MariaDB CMD Prompt which says its running, but I can't have this error on a brand new setup.

[root@localhost ~]# mysql -uroot
Welcome to the MariaDB monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MariaDB connection id is 2
Server version: 10.1.20-MariaDB MariaDB Server

Copyright (c) 2000, 2016, Oracle, MariaDB Corporation Ab and others.

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

MariaDB [(none)]&gt; exit;
Bye
[root@localhost ~]# /etc/init.d/mysql status
ERROR! MySQL is running but PID file could not be found
Seems the issue was how it is started.

Using the following, all is well!!

[root@sql ~]# systemctl start mariadb.service
[root@sql ~]# systemctl enable mariadb.service
[root@sql ~]# /etc/init.d/mysql status
SUCCESS! MySQL running (920)


So don't use /etc/init.d/mysql start as stated in the install guide...

https://mariadb.com/kb/en/mariadb/yum/