Plesk login fails: Unable to connect to database. No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it

Symptoms

• The following error occurs on attempt to log into Plesk:

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

• Cannot start PleskSQLServer service using Plesk Services Monitor:

  The process terminated unexpectedly. (Error code 1067) at Start service PleskSQLServer at (service:startStopService line 994)

• The PleskSQLServer service is missing from Windows Services.

Cause

PleskSQLServer service is missing from Windows Services.

Resolution

Re-Register PleskSQLServer service following these steps:

1. Connect to the server via RDP

2. Start command prompt as Administrator

3. Register the PleskSQLServer service using the command below:

   C:> sc create PleskSQLServer binPath= “”C:Program Files (x86)PleskMySQLbinmysqld.exe” “–defaults-file=C:Program Files (x86)PleskMySQLmy.ini” PleskSQLServer”

Additional info

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