[mythtvnz] Mythfrontend fails to connect to database

[Paulgir]

I have been getting FE start failures,when booting the system, where the  
desktop ends up at a Language selection screen.
To get out of that I hit esc which takes me to a Database setup screen  
with a message that mythtv failed to connect to the local database ,was  
the address correct? etc.Hitting esc again takes me to the xfce desktop  
and the front end automatically restarts.
The system is a combined BE/FE and this failure does not always occur.The  
BE never fails to start and record any scheduled programmes.
This hasn't been much of a hassle ,as hitting esc restarts the FE.

in FE log I get this:

Jul 17 09:16:13 myth mythlogserver: mythfrontend[1494]: N CoreContext  
mythcontext.cpp:493 (LoadDatabaseSettings) Empty LocalHostName.
Jul 17 09:16:13 myth mythlogserver: mythfrontend[1494]: I CoreContext  
mythcontext.cpp:501 (LoadDatabaseSettings) Using localhost value of myth
Jul 17 09:16:13 myth mythlogserver: mythfrontend[1494]: I Logger  
logging.cpp:306 (run) Added logging to the console
Jul 17 09:16:13 myth mythlogserver: mythfrontend[1494]: E CoreContext  
mythdbcon.cpp:216 (OpenDatabase) Unable to connect to database!
Jul 17 09:16:13 myth mythlogserver: mythfrontend[1494]: E CoreContext  
mythdbcon.cpp:217 (OpenDatabase) Driver error was [1/2002]:#012QMYSQL:  
Unable to connect#012Database error was:#012Can't connect to local MySQL  
server through socket '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock' (2)

I think it might be timing problem but am not sure.

Paul