trying to install mysql but I cannot start the service and cannot locate mysqld.sock

I’m trying to install mysql but I cannot start the service and cannot locate mysqld.sock

I am following the how to here: https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-linux-apache-mysql-php-lamp-stack-on-ubuntu-16-04

And get stuck trying to run $ mysql_secure_installation

I get this error:

Error: Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock' (2)

Checking the version does show it installed.

mysql --version
mysql  Ver 8.0.21-0ubuntu0.20.04.4 for Linux on x86_64 ((Ubuntu))

I am unable to locate the mysqld.sock file anywhere and there is also no mysqld dir in /var/run/

I’ve also been through this troubleshooting doc https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-troubleshoot-socket-errors-in-mysql

But I can’t start the mysql service and there is nothing in the mysql.cnf file other than this

# The MySQL database client configuration file
#
# Ref to https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/en/mysql-command-options.html

[mysql]

This is what mysql.service shows

systemctl status mysql.service
● mysql.service - MySQL Community Server
     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/mysql.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: activating (start) since Thu 2020-09-10 14:31:23 UTC; 15s ago
    Process: 8847 ExecStartPre=/usr/share/mysql/mysql-systemd-start pre (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
   Main PID: 8855 (mysqld)
     Status: "Server startup in progress"
      Tasks: 4 (limit: 533)
     Memory: 2.5M
     CGroup: /system.slice/mysql.service
             └─8855 [mysqld]

If I run it again the Process / Main PID changes. Does that mean it’s just taking a while to complete and I need to be patient?

I’ve uninstalled mysql a few different times but can’t seem to get it sorted.

Any help appreciated.