Description of problem: 
The data directory configured in /etc/my.cnf is ignored by the 
mysqld init script during its startup checks, which assume a data 
directory in /var/lib/mysql. If the my.cnf directory is elsewhere, 
the checks don't do the required thing and consequently mysqld 
fails to start. I get this: 
 
 
Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): 
mysql 3.23.58-14 
 
How reproducible: 
 
 
Steps to Reproduce: 
1. Set the data directory (only) to be different from the default 
2. put a valid mysql data directory at the new locn. 
3. try to start mysql using service mysqld start 
4. watch it fail! 
   
Actual results: 
Initializing MySQL database:                               [  OK  ] 
*** glibc detected *** double free or corruption (!prev): 0x08cd94a0 
*** 
Timeout error occurred trying to start MySQL Daemon. 
Starting MySQL:                                            [FAILED]