# New Ghost v5.41.0 Unable To Connect To MySQL Database **URL:** \ **Category:** Installation\ **Created:** [April 2, 2023, 11:46am UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518 "2023-04-02T11:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sgrobert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.ghost.org/sgrobert/32/12412_2.png) [@sgrobert](https://forum.ghost.org/u/sgrobert)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 11:46am UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/1 "2023-04-02T11:46:06Z")
Hi there, I am trying to do a brand new install from scratch via the Bare Linux method, as even though I have tried using **DigitalOcean’s Marketplace’s Ghost v5.41.0 Installer** , the same error of **being unable to connect to the database** still persists. Thus, I thought by utilizing the server method, I might have more control over what I can change to help resolve the solution. However, the same issue still persisted even though I destroyed and restarted the whole process about 20 times. Hope someone may have some better headway on this matter to give some advice moving forward. Thank you. * * * **Server Configs:** - ubuntu v22.04 (LTS) x64 - nginx v1.18.0-6ubuntu14.3 - mysql-server v8.0.32-0ubuntu0.22.04.2 - nodejs v18.15.0-deb-1nodesource1 - npm v9.6.3 * * * **Ghost Configs:** - ghost-cli v1.24.0 - ghost v5.41.0 * * * **Error Messages:** ✖ Starting Ghost One or more errors occurred. 1. GhostError Message: **Ghost was able to start, but errored during boot with: connect ECONNREFUSED ::1:3306** Help: Unknown database error Suggestion: journalctl -u ghost\_mywebsite -n 50 Debug Information: OS: Ubuntu, v22.04.2 LTS Node Version: v18.15.0 Ghost Version: 5.41.0 Ghost-CLI Version: 1.24.0 Environment: production Command: ‘ghost install’ * * * **MySQL DB User Listing** : ±-----------------±----------±----------------------+ | User | Host | plugin | ±-----------------±----------±----------------------+ | debian-sys-maint | localhost | caching\_sha2\_password | | my-ghost | localhost | auth\_socket | | mysql.infoschema | localhost | caching\_sha2\_password | | mysql.session | localhost | caching\_sha2\_password | | mysql.sys | localhost | caching\_sha2\_password | | root | localhost | auth\_socket | ±-----------------±----------±----------------------+ 6 rows in set (0.00 sec) In addition, I have also tried to add an additional user `my-ghost` to handle the db-interactions but it just seems like `Ghost` cannot access `mysql`. ---
**Author:** ![mjw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.ghost.org/mjw/32/30781_2.png) [@mjw](https://forum.ghost.org/u/mjw)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 1:06pm UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/2 "2023-04-02T13:06:48Z")
These steps should work for you on Ubuntu 22.04, so double-check the MySQL section. ```auto sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade --yes sudo apt install mysql-server --yes sudo systemctl start mysql.service sudo mysql ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'root-password'; QUIT; sudo mysql_secure_installation sudo mysql -u root -p CREATE USER 'user_site'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'site-password'; CREATE DATABASE site_prod; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON site_prod.* TO 'user_site'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES; QUIT; curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_16.x | sudo -E bash sudo apt install nodejs --yes sudo npm install ghost-cli@latest -g sudo mkdir -p /var/www/ghost-site sudo chown ghost-user:ghost-user /var/www/ghost-site sudo chmod 775 /var/www/ghost-site cd /var/www/ghost-site ghost install ``` ---
**Author:** ![sgrobert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.ghost.org/sgrobert/32/12412_2.png) [@sgrobert](https://forum.ghost.org/u/sgrobert)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 1:46pm UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/3 "2023-04-02T13:46:58Z")
> [@mjw](#): > > `sudo apt install nodejs` Hi @mjw, I had tried all of the above before and had tried it again. The issue still currently persists. ```auto ✔ Checking system Node.js version - found v18.15.0 ✔ Checking logged in user ✔ Ensuring user is not logged in as ghost user ✔ Checking if logged in user is directory owner ✔ Checking current folder permissions ✔ Checking system compatibility ✔ Checking for a MySQL installation + sudo systemctl is-active ghost_mywebsite-com + sudo systemctl reset-failed ghost_mywebsite-com ✔ Validating config ✔ Checking folder permissions ✔ Checking file permissions ✔ Checking content folder ownership ✔ Checking memory availability ✔ Checking binary dependencies ✔ Checking free space ✔ Checking systemd unit file ✔ Checking systemd node version - found v18.15.0 ``` The only new things which I do not get is `sudo mysql_secure_installation`, as the password I had used kept the program going in an endless loop. Do it mean I have to change the password, as my current password is pretty strong, but I am unsure that `ghost's mysql` actually validates the password. Does it? Is there other ways I can help to jumpstart the `mysql` setup as it seems like the main issue I am consistently facing here. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![mjw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.ghost.org/mjw/32/30781_2.png) [@mjw](https://forum.ghost.org/u/mjw)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/4 "2023-04-02T14:15:05Z")
AFAIK, the reset-failed means Ghost was already in a failed state. So, it would seem that Ghost cannot access the database. Secure installation isn’t a prerequisite, but is good practice. I’d double-check your database credentials using the command line. ---
**Author:** ![sgrobert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.ghost.org/sgrobert/32/12412_2.png) [@sgrobert](https://forum.ghost.org/u/sgrobert)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 12:00am UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/5 "2023-04-03T00:00:39Z")
Hi @mjw, From all the results, I think `Ghost` have no issues but this `mysql` issue kept coming up oddly. I have been setting up different `Ghost` instances since version 3, and this is quite the first time, no matter how many times I re-do the whole setup, `Ghost` is unable to connect to `mysql`, though I do know in the past. I just want to check is there any procedures that are potentially different as I did follow this official `Ghost` instructions ([How to install & setup Ghost on Ubuntu 16.04, 18.04, 20.04 or 22.04](https://ghost.org/docs/install/ubuntu/)) to the tee, but still end up with the same results. Usually, right after executing, ```auto # Install MySQL sudo apt-get install mysql-server ``` I would do a, ```auto ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'new-password'; ``` * * * However, as I recently checked the `users` within `mysql` (Based on this [mysql - ERROR 1698 (28000): Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' - Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39281594/error-1698-28000-access-denied-for-user-rootlocalhost)) via: ```auto sudo mysql mysql> USE mysql; mysql> SELECT User, Host, plugin FROM mysql.user; +------------------+-----------+-----------------------+ | User | Host | plugin | +------------------+-----------+-----------------------+ | debian-sys-maint | localhost | caching_sha2_password | | mysql.infoschema | localhost | caching_sha2_password | | mysql.session | localhost | caching_sha2_password | | mysql.sys | localhost | caching_sha2_password | | root | localhost | auth_socket | +------------------+-----------+-----------------------+ ``` As you can see that for `'root'@'localhost'`, the `plugin` is now `auth_socket` instead of `mysql_native_password`, thus the command `ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'new-password';` **will also not work** , which was also suggested in one of your previous solutions for me. Given that, **I may think that is the main root cause of the issue where the ‘root’@‘localhost’ password _is actually not altered_**. Alternatively, I also tried another method where I added a new `ghost-user` as the alternative `'ghost-user'@'localhost'` (Based on suggestions from this [mysql - ERROR 1698 (28000): Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' - Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39281594/error-1698-28000-access-denied-for-user-rootlocalhost)), ```auto sudo mysql USE mysql; CREATE USER 'ghost-user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new-password'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'ghost-user'@'localhost'; UPDATE user SET plugin='auth_socket' WHERE User='ghost-user'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES; QUIT; ``` Sadly, though there was some difference in the output, the main results was still similar, where **“Ghost was unable to connect to mysql”**. At the moment, I do believe I have tried a number of different methods with similar results and hoped that you or your team might have a potential alternative solution that I might not have tried relating to this part of password authentication. Hope to hear your view on this. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![mjw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.ghost.org/mjw/32/30781_2.png) [@mjw](https://forum.ghost.org/u/mjw)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 7:35am UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/6 "2023-04-03T07:35:48Z")
As mentioned earlier, set the root password, and then login using the password method. Then create a user and database solely for Ghost use. You may want to restart MySQL after. The steps I posted are verified for Ghost V5, and Ubuntu 22.04. It’s what I used. Incidentally, please note that I am a community member like yourself and a volunteer moderator, and not part of the Ghost project team. ---
**Author:** ![sgrobert](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.ghost.org/sgrobert/32/12412_2.png) [@sgrobert](https://forum.ghost.org/u/sgrobert)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2023, 1:45pm UTC](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/7 "2023-04-03T13:45:36Z")
Hi @mjw , First of all, my apologies for assuming that you have been part of the `Ghost` team, and Thank you for volunteering your personal time to assist and help with my enquires! Really appreciate you for that! I have actually did another round of server-restart, re-setting up the whole process from scratch, but this time, I had followed the exact side-tracked suggestion you have provided earlier: > [@New Ghost v5.41.0 Unable To Connect To MySQL Database](https://forum.ghost.org/t/new-ghost-v5-41-0-unable-to-connect-to-mysql-database/37518/2): > > These steps should work for you on Ubuntu 22.04, so double-check the MySQL section. sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade --yes sudo apt install mysql-server --yes sudo systemctl start mysql.service sudo mysql ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql\_native\_password BY 'root-password'; QUIT; sudo mysql\_secure\_installation sudo mysql -u root -p CREATE USER 'user\_site'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'site-password'; CREATE DATABASE site\_prod; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON site\_prod.\* TO 'user\_s… ```auto sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade --yes sudo apt install mysql-server --yes sudo systemctl start mysql.service sudo mysql ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'root-password'; QUIT; sudo mysql_secure_installation sudo mysql -u root -p CREATE USER 'user_site'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'site-password'; CREATE DATABASE site_prod; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON site_prod.* TO 'user_site'@'localhost'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES; QUIT; curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_16.x | sudo -E bash sudo apt install nodejs --yes sudo npm install ghost-cli@latest -g sudo mkdir -p /var/www/ghost-site sudo chown ghost-user:ghost-user /var/www/ghost-site sudo chmod 775 /var/www/ghost-site cd /var/www/ghost-site ghost install ``` Thankfully now it worked! The key reminder here is as you had mentioned: “ **As mentioned earlier, set the root password, and then login using the password method. Then _create a user and database solely for Ghost use._** ” ;) So just want to say a Big Thank You for the great help! ;) * * * **Final Working Server Configs For Others To Reference:** - ubuntu v22.04 (LTS) x64 - nginx v1.18.0-6ubuntu14.3 - mysql-server v8.0.32-0ubuntu0.22.04.2 - nodejs v16.19.1-deb-1nodesource1 - npm v9.6.3 - ghost-cli v1.24.0 - ghost v5.41.0