mysql installed but not working

Package mysql is obsoleted by MySQL-server, trying to install MySQL-server-5.1.48-1.glibc23.x86_64 instead
Package MySQL-server-5.1.48-1.glibc23.x86_64 already installed and latest version

It looks like you downloaded the MySQL-server package from the homepage and installed with rpm -ivh. Verify with:

$ rpm -qa | grep MySQL

If you want to install mysql-server from the repository (base, epel, ...), you must uninstall the MySQL-server first by executing:

# yum remove MySQL-*

and then:

# yum install mysql mysql-server mysql-devel

The init script from MySQL-server package is mysql instead of mysqld from mysql-server. The hint for you is type some characters (/etc/init.d/mys) and press Tab or TabTab.

You probably have installed MySQL-devel and MySQL-server manually from the rpms and are keeping you from installing mysql.

Better of remove those packages with

#yum remove MySQL-devel MySQL-server 

and install it again with

#yum install mysql mysql-server mysql-devel

Also please post the output of both the commands above, that would help us to help you.

EDIT

The smartfile repository .. try disabling it ? with

#yum --disablerepo=smartfile

You start the MySQL-server by running:

# /etc/init.d/mysql start

Normally, the MySQL-client is in the package named mysql in the os-repository:

# yum install mysql

But since that's not the case for you, I suspect you may have installed a different package.

Can you try:

# yum whatprovides '/usr/bin/mysql'

It should give you a list of packages that provide you the MySQL-client.