/var/log/messages for a server where MariaDB service is disabled, but mysql nevertheless is started on boot. On shutdown: Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Stopping LSB: start and stop MariaDB... Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u su: (to mysql) root on none Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Created slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Session c1 of user mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Removed slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u su: (to mysql) root on none Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Created slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Session c2 of user mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Removed slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u su: (to mysql) root on none Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Created slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Session c3 of user mysql. Mar 2 18:14:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Removed slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:43 bunkyo-u su: (to mysql) root on none Mar 2 18:14:43 bunkyo-u systemd: Created slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:43 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Session c4 of user mysql. Mar 2 18:14:43 bunkyo-u systemd: Removed slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:44 bunkyo-u su: (to mysql) root on none Mar 2 18:14:44 bunkyo-u systemd: Created slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:44 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Session c5 of user mysql. Mar 2 18:14:44 bunkyo-u mysql: Shutting down MariaDB.. SUCCESS! Mar 2 18:14:44 bunkyo-u systemd: Stopped LSB: start and stop MariaDB. Mar 2 18:14:44 bunkyo-u systemd: Removed slice User Slice of mysql. Mar 2 18:14:49 bunkyo-u systemd: Reloading. On boot: Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Starting LSB: start and stop MariaDB... Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Starting manaba dispatchers... Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Starting Crash recovery kernel arming... Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Permit User Sessions. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Job spooling tools. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Starting Terminate Plymouth Boot Screen... Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Starting Wait for Plymouth Boot Screen to Quit... Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Command Scheduler. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Received SIGRTMIN+21 from PID 573 (plymouthd). Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Terminate Plymouth Boot Screen. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Wait for Plymouth Boot Screen to Quit. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Getty on tty1. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Reached target Login Prompts. /../ Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u mysql: Starting MariaDB.200302 18:15:41 mysqld_safe Logging to '/var/log/mariadb/mariadb.log'. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u mysql: 200302 18:15:41 mysqld_safe Starting mysqld daemon with databases from /var/lib/mysql Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u systemd: Started Dynamic System Tuning Daemon. Mar 2 18:15:41 bunkyo-u avahi-daemon[3431]: Registering new address record for fe80::250:56ff:fe8f:f42e on eth0.*. Mar 2 18:15:42 bunkyo-u mysql: SUCCESS! Mar 2 18:15:42 bunkyo-u systemd: Started LSB: start and stop MariaDB. --- MariaDB service is off and disabled as expected: [root@bunkyo-u ~]# systemctl status mariadb mariadb.service - MariaDB 10.2.31 database server Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.service; disabled; vendor preset: disabled) Drop-In: /etc/systemd/system/mariadb.service.d mqmigrated-from-my.cnf-settings.conf, oom_score_adjust.conf Active: inactive (dead) Docs: man:mysqld(8) https://mariadb.com/kb/en/library/systemd/ However, mysqld_safe and mysql processes are nevertheless running: [root@bunkyo-u ~]# systemctl status mysql mysql.service - LSB: start and stop MariaDB Loaded: loaded (/etc/rc.d/init.d/mysql; bad; vendor preset: disabled) Active: active (running) since Mon 2020-03-02 18:15:42 JST; 17h ago Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8) Process: 3978 ExecStart=/etc/rc.d/init.d/mysql start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS) CGroup: /system.slice/mysql.service tq4235 /bin/sh /usr/bin/mysqld_safe --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --pid-file=/var/lib/mysql/bunkyo-u.manaba.jp.pid mq4494 /usr/sbin/mysqld --basedir=/usr --datadir=/var/lib/mysql --plugin-dir=/usr/lib64/mysql/plugin --user=mysql --log-error=/var/log/mariadb/mari... Mar 02 18:15:41 bunkyo-u.manaba.jp systemd[1]: Starting LSB: start and stop MariaDB... Mar 02 18:15:41 bunkyo-u.manaba.jp mysql[3978]: Starting MariaDB.200302 18:15:41 mysqld_safe Logging to '/var/log/mariadb/mariadb.log'. Mar 02 18:15:41 bunkyo-u.manaba.jp mysql[3978]: 200302 18:15:41 mysqld_safe Starting mysqld daemon with databases from /var/lib/mysql Mar 02 18:15:42 bunkyo-u.manaba.jp mysql[3978]: SUCCESS! Mar 02 18:15:42 bunkyo-u.manaba.jp systemd[1]: Started LSB: start and stop MariaDB. Attempting to disable mysql service does nothing: [root@bunkyo-u ~]# systemctl disable mysql mysql.service is not a native service, redirecting to /sbin/chkconfig. Executing /sbin/chkconfig mysql off