MySQL Server service is missing: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it

Symptoms

• Installation of Plesk micro-updates fails with message:

  CONFIG_TEXT: [ERROR]Unable to connect to database. System message: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.

• phpMyAdmin shows the following error:

  CONFIG_TEXT: The server is not responding (or the local server's socket is not correctly configured).

• MySQL Server service is missing from Windows Services list.
• cWebsites that use MySQL databases does not work.

In Plesk > Tools & Settings > Database Servers , MySQL server is not connected.

Cause

Service was manually removed from Windows Services.

Resolution

1. Log into the server via RDP.

2. Run Windows command line and register the service using the command below:

   C:\> "%plesk_dir%\mysql\bin\mysqld.exe" --install MySQL57 --defaults-file="C:\Program Files (x86)\Plesk\Databases\MySQL\my.ini"

   Note: Path to MySQL configuration file may be different. It is located in %plesk_dir%\Databases\MySQL\my.ini , where %plesk_dir% is Plesk installation path.

3. Start the service:

   C:\> sc start mysql57

4. Check in Plesk > Tools & Settings > Database Servers that server is connected.

Additional info

Plesk login fails: Unable to connect to database.