Resolving "mysql: unrecognized service" Error for MariaDB on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

• "mysql: unrecognized service": This message indicates that the command you're using, likely sudo service mysql start or sudo systemctl start mysql, is trying to interact with a service named "mysql." However, on most Linux distributions, including those used in WSL, the actual service name for MariaDB is typically "mariadb" or "mysqld."
• MariaDB and MySQL: MariaDB is a popular open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that's functionally compatible with MySQL. It's often the default choice in many Linux distributions due to its licensing and community focus.

Resolving the Issue:

1. Use the Correct Service Name:

   • Check the service name using sudo systemctl list-unit-files | grep mariadb or sudo systemctl list-unit-files | grep mysql.
   • Replace "mysql" with the correct service name in your command. For example, sudo systemctl start mariadb.

2. Verify Installation and Permissions:

   • Ensure MariaDB is installed using the appropriate package manager for your WSL distribution (e.g., sudo apt install mariadb-server for Ubuntu/Debian).
   • If the installation seems correct, check file permissions using ls -l /etc/init.d/mariadb (or mysqld if found) and make sure it has execute permissions (chmod +x /etc/init.d/mariadb).

Additional Considerations:

• WSL Version: If you're using WSL 1, there might be limitations with systemd (the service manager used for starting and stopping services). Consider upgrading to WSL 2 for better compatibility.
• Conflicting Installations: If you have both MySQL and MariaDB installed, there could be naming conflicts. Consider removing one if not both are strictly necessary.

Example (Assuming Ubuntu/Debian in WSL):

1. Check service name: sudo systemctl list-unit-files | grep mariadb (or mysql)
2. Start the service: sudo systemctl start mariadb
3. Verify status: sudo systemctl status mariadb

Example Codes for Fixing "mysql: unrecognized service" in WSL with MariaDB

Checking the Service Name:

# Option 1: Using systemctl (preferred for most WSL distributions)
sudo systemctl list-unit-files | grep mariadb

# Option 2: Using legacy init scripts (if systemd is not available)
ls -l /etc/init.d/ | grep mysql

Starting the MariaDB Service (Assuming the service name is "mariadb"):

sudo systemctl start mariadb

Verifying MariaDB Service Status:

sudo systemctl status mariadb

Installing MariaDB (if not already installed):

This depends on your WSL distribution's package manager. Here's an example for Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install mariadb-server

Granting Execute Permissions (if necessary):

sudo chmod +x /etc/init.d/mariadb  # Replace with the actual service file path if different

Remember:

• Replace "mariadb" with the actual service name if it's different based on your system's configuration (check step 1).
• Adjust the installation command (step 4) based on your WSL distribution's package manager.

If your WSL distribution uses older init scripts instead of systemd, you can try the service command:

sudo service mysql start  # Replace "mysql" with the actual service name (check step 1 in previous response)
sudo service mysql status

Manually Starting MariaDB:

For troubleshooting purposes, you can attempt to start MariaDB directly using its binary (not recommended for regular use):

# Find the MariaDB binary path (may vary)
ps aux | grep mariadb

# Example: If found at /usr/sbin/mysqld
sudo /usr/sbin/mysqld &

Checking Configuration Files:

• Review the MariaDB configuration file (/etc/mysql/my.cnf) to ensure it's set up correctly and points to the expected data directory (datadir).

Reinstalling MariaDB:

If none of the above methods work, consider reinstalling MariaDB to potentially fix corrupted installations:

# Uninstall (adjust command based on your package manager)
sudo apt remove mariadb-server  # Example for Ubuntu/Debian

# Reinstall
sudo apt install mariadb-server

Upgrading WSL (if applicable):

WSL 2 offers better systemd support, which can improve compatibility with MariaDB. Consider upgrading WSL if possible.