[mythtv-users] mythtv-backend service stops

[Roger Searle]

Hi, doing an upgrade for a family member's combined FE/BE from 12.04 LTS 
to 14.04 LTS, dpkg says 0.27.0+fixes for mythtv*.  Seeking assistance 
now I have spent all weekend trying to get the FE to connect to the BE.  
I have already resolved all apt-get update issues, been through a 
process to upgrade the mythtv database (which was 18 versions behind), 
netstat says it is listening on tcp/3306. The mysql service will NOT 
start if I have bind-address = static IP address, it will only start if 
set to 127.0.0.1.

The front end could connect to my own BE (I have functioning separate FE 
and BE also running 14.04 myself) and view those recorded programmes, 
but can not connect to the BE on the same machine.  In mythtv-setup I 
have set the machine's static IP address for both the local backend and 
master backend.

The main issue appears to be that mythtv-backend service will start but 
quickly or immediately stop:

emmatodd at htpc:~$ sudo service mythtv-backend status
mythtv-backend stop/waiting
emmatodd at htpc:~$ sudo service mythtv-backend start
mythtv-backend start/running, process 28167
emmatodd at htpc:~$ sudo service mythtv-backend status
mythtv-backend stop/waiting

And similarly will stop quickly if started after running mythtv-setup.  
So of course, the frontend can't connect.  Depending on how my 
config.xml file is configured, if <Host> is the static IP address of the 
FE/BE, I am presented with either the country/language screen which I 
can proceed from to the 2 page database form and set host name (static 
IP address), DB name mythconverg, user mythtv and password as per 
config.xml, but on finishing will cycle back to the country/language 
screen.

Having spent hours on trying to solve this weekend, I've googled myself 
around in circles and confused as to where to look first from here.

Is ~/.mythtv/config.xml the correct place to configure settings, or 
should it be /etc/mythtv/config.xml?

Should I be setting static IP address everywhere?

Why does the backend service stop almost immediately?

Where can I look for more info?  Which logs should I pay attention to?  
Can anyone suggest where I go from here?

Cheers,
Roger