Debian Configuration :: Cannot Get Into Contacts - "Akonadi Not Operational"

I cannot get into my contacts, which are vital for my business. Arbitrary failures like this are unforgivable in mission-critical applications. When I click on Kontact it says "Akonadi not operational". Details shows the following: I do have libqt4-sql and python-qt4 installed.

I found that mysql-server was not installed so I installed it, but stupidly "Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost'", even when I use the password in mysql.cnf. I don't know what Akonadi, Nepomuk, or many of the other weird new services are, so am lost. My business-critical contacts are locked up and I cannot access them, probably through someone's stupid mistake.