package mysql-server 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1 failed to install/upgrade: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured

this happened when i tried to aptget install mysql-server on my dell mini 9.

1)
ian@ian:~$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 8.04.1
Release: 8.04
2)
ian@ian:~$ apt-cache policy mysql-server
mysql-server:
  Installed: 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1
  Candidate: 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1
  Version table:
 *** 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1 0
        500 http://dell-mini.archive.canonical.com hardy-updates/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     5.0.51a-3ubuntu5 0
        500 http://dell-mini.archive.canonical.com hardy/main Packages
3)
install mysql server
4)
Setting up mysql-server-5.0 (5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1) ...
/etc/lsb-base-logging.sh: line 84: INITOUTPUT: unbound variable
invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "stop" failed.
chown: cannot access `/var/run/mysqld': No such file or directory
/etc/lsb-base-logging.sh: line 84: INITOUTPUT: unbound variable
invoke-rc.d: initscript mysql, action "start" failed.
dpkg: error processing mysql-server-5.0 (--configure):
 subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 1
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of mysql-server:
 mysql-server depends on mysql-server-5.0; however:
  Package mysql-server-5.0 is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing mysql-server (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up gnome-do (0.4.0.1-0ubuntu2) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 mysql-server-5.0
 mysql-server
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

ProblemType: Package
Architecture: lpia
Date: Fri Dec 11 09:28:38 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 8.04
ErrorMessage: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
NonfreeKernelModules: wl
Package: mysql-server 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: mysql-dfsg-5.0
Title: package mysql-server 5.0.51a-3ubuntu5.1 failed to install/upgrade: dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Uname: Linux 2.6.24-22-lpia i686