What were you trying to do that didn't work?

:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [  BEGIN   ] :: Running 'mysqlStart'
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [  BEGIN   ] :: Running 'rlServiceStart "mysqld"'
Redirecting to /bin/systemctl status mysqld.service
Redirecting to /bin/systemctl start mysqld.service
Job for mysqld.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status mysqld.service" and "journalctl -xeu mysqld.service" for details.
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   ERROR  ] :: rlServiceStart: Starting service mysqld failed
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   ERROR  ] :: Status of the failed service:
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   LOG    ] ::   Redirecting to /bin/systemctl status mysqld.service
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   LOG    ] ::   ● mysqld.service - MySQL 8.0 database server
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   LOG    ] ::   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/mysqld.service; disabled; preset: disabled)
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   LOG    ] ::   Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2025-11-20 20:24:05 UTC; 32ms ago
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   LOG    ] ::   Process: 3886 ExecStartPre=/usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket (code=exited, status=217/USER)
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   LOG    ] ::   Process: 3887 ExecStopPost=/usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop (code=exited, status=217/USER)
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   LOG    ] ::   CPU: 2ms
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   FAIL   ] :: Command 'rlServiceStart "mysqld"' (Expected 0, got 1)
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [  BEGIN   ] :: Running 'service mysqld status'
Redirecting to /bin/systemctl status mysqld.service
● mysqld.service - MySQL 8.0 database server
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/mysqld.service; disabled; preset: disabled)
     Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2025-11-20 20:24:05 UTC; 98ms ago
    Process: 3886 ExecStartPre=/usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket (code=exited, status=217/USER)
    Process: 3887 ExecStopPost=/usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop (code=exited, status=217/USER)
        CPU: 2ms
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   FAIL   ] :: Command 'service mysqld status' (Expected 0, got 3)
:: [ 20:24:05 ] :: [   FAIL   ] :: Command 'mysqlStart' (Expected 0, got 3)
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[1]: Starting MySQL 8.0 database server...
░░ Subject: A start job for unit mysqld.service has begun execution
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit mysqld.service has begun execution.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 1752.
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[3886]: mysqld.service: Failed to determine user credentials: No such process
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[3886]: mysqld.service: Failed at step USER spawning /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket: No such process
░░ Subject: Process /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket could not be executed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The process /usr/libexec/mysql-check-socket could not be executed and failed.
░░ 
░░ The error number returned by this process is ERRNO.
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=217/USER
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStartPre= process belonging to unit mysqld.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 217.
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[3887]: mysqld.service: Failed to determine user credentials: No such process
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[3887]: mysqld.service: Failed at step USER spawning /usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop: No such process
░░ Subject: Process /usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop could not be executed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The process /usr/libexec/mysql-wait-stop could not be executed and failed.
░░ 
░░ The error number returned by this process is ERRNO.
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Control process exited, code=exited, status=217/USER
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStopPost= process belonging to unit mysqld.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 217.
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[1]: mysqld.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ The unit mysqld.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 20 20:24:05 dd2b574a-b52e-46f5-9cc3-b713481c67b3 systemd[1]: Failed to start MySQL 8.0 database server.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit mysqld.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit mysqld.service has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 1752 and the job result is failed.

AI investigation:

● The error is clear: exit status 217/USER means systemd failed to determine user credentials for the mysql user. The error "Failed to determine user credentials: No
 such process" indicates the mysql user doesn't exist in the image.

 Since /usr is read-only in image mode, you can't modify system files or create new users in the traditional way. Here are your options:

 Option 1: Use an overlayfs or tmpfs for writable paths (Recommended)

 Create writable directories for MySQL's runtime needs:

 # Create overlay or temp directories for MySQL
 mkdir -p /var/run/mysqld
 mkdir -p /var/lib/mysql
 chmod 777 /var/run/mysqld
 chmod 777 /var/lib/mysql

 # Start mysqld directly instead of via systemd
 mysqld --user=root --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --socket=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock &

 Option 2: Modify the service file to not require a specific user

 If you have write access to /etc/systemd/system/, create an override:

 mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/mysqld.service.d/
 cat > /etc/systemd/system/mysqld.service.d/override.conf << EOF
 [Service]
 User=root
 Group=root
 EOF

 systemctl daemon-reload
 systemctl start mysqld

 Option 3: Use a different initialization approach

 Instead of systemd, use a custom script in your test setup:

 # Run MySQL without systemd
 mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --datadir=/tmp/mysql &
 # or
 mysqld --user=root --datadir=/tmp/mysql --socket=/tmp/mysql.sock &

 For image mode specifically:

 The cleanest approach is to pre-create necessary users and directories during the image build phase (if possible), or use Option 1 to set up temporary writable
 locations at test runtime before starting mysqld.

mariadb works as expected in IM.

What is the impact of this issue to you?

I can't test my components which require mysql

Please provide the package NVR for which the bug is seen:

mysql-server-8.0.43-1.el9_6

How reproducible is this bug?:

Always

Steps to reproduce

1.  testing-farm request --arch x86_64 --git-url https://gitlab.com/redhat/rhel/tests/perl-DBD-MySQL/ --git-ref master --compose RHEL-9.8.0-image-mode --context distro=RHEL-9.8.0 --plan plans/general --context deployment-mode=image --tmt-environment TMT_POLICY_NAME=rhel-ci --no-wait
2.  
3.  

Expected results

Actual results