I had an analogous problem. Mariadb install, I create the users, I import the data and everthing is ok. I reboot the computer and mysql dous not start.
In the logs I found ● mysql.service - LSB: Start and stop the mysql database server daemon Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/mysql; bad; vendor preset: enabled) Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since mer 2017-06-14 10:26:19 CEST; 12s ago Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8) Process: 5885 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/mysql start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE) giu 14 10:25:49 portattile-caiofior mysqld[6058]: 170614 10:25:49 [ERROR] Plugin 'blackhole' already installed giu 14 10:25:49 portattile-caiofior mysqld[6058]: 170614 10:25:49 [ERROR] Plugin 'federated' already installed giu 14 10:25:49 portattile-caiofior mysqld[6058]: 170614 10:25:49 [ERROR] Plugin 'innodb' already installed giu 14 10:25:49 portattile-caiofior mysqld[6058]: 170614 10:25:49 [Note] Server socket created on IP: '127.0.0.1'. giu 14 10:25:49 portattile-caiofior mysqld[6058]: 170614 10:25:49 [ERROR] Fatal error: mysql.user table is damaged or in unsupported 3.20 format. giu 14 10:26:19 portattile-caiofior mysql[5885]: ...fail! giu 14 10:26:19 portattile-caiofior systemd[1]: mysql.service: Control process exited, code=exited status=1 giu 14 10:26:19 portattile-caiofior systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: Start and stop the mysql database server daemon. giu 14 10:26:19 portattile-caiofior systemd[1]: mysql.service: Unit entered failed state. giu 14 10:26:19 portattile-caiofior systemd[1]: mysql.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'. -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1445549 Title: systemctl start mysql.service starts mariadb but reports failure To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/mariadb-10.0/+bug/1445549/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs