Re: Finally, a hint

[Barry Galbraith]

When you say you move the data folder, you do include the /mysql folder in that move don't you?
If you just change datadir in my.cnf, but don't move the /mysql folder, then mysql doesn't know how / what to do.
You say

Quote

I even tried to pull the rug from under it, by deleting it's data while it was running

Do you mean removing the /mysql folder?
MySQL reads the contents of many tables into ram when it starts, and so will survive (a bit) without the folder being there, but can't actually start if it is missing.

Good luck,
Barry.