Latest Online Update installed mariadb 10.0.21-2.15.1-x86_64 which failed to
start on boot.

Complained something about old upgraded files hanging around. Had to revert to
version 10.0.20-2.12.1.x86_64 which didn't have the problem and started.

Sorry, had to get the DB's up and running couldn't spend time dicking around
troubleshooting or documenting the problem.

But Googe'n it showed it is wide spread and that is where I got the solution to
downgrade.


Pretty much the same problem reported here in the original post 

 https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/511450-Can-not-start-maria-db 

but I did not do what is reported in the 2nd post nor do anything else except
downgrade.