MySQL insert query not responding

I try to insert data into MySQL with PHP code or phpMyAdmin, but the server hangs for a long time before finally printing:

The server is not responding (or the local MySQL server's socket is not correctly configured)

I can add values to the database with logging in MySQL using a SSH connection. I am using PHP Version 5.1.6 with MySQL Client API version 5.0.77.

I see an error in the l开发者_JS百科og:

Version: '5.0.77' socket: '/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock' port: 3306 Source distribution 

Have you checked the MySQL error logs?

If you set the log warnings level above 1 aborted connections are written to the error log (as per http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/error-log.html)

As such, this is probably a good first port of call.