Importing old mysql data folder

Question

After a reinstall, all of the old data still shows inside the MySQL/data folder, but is not actually loaded into the database.

Is there any way to have MySQL scan it's data folder and / or reimport the old folders it has from its previous install?

[Some data was changed after the last backup / export - partially my fault - so I would rather it recognize the folders rather than reimporting the SQL files.]

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered May 16 '10 at 18:59

12

If the data is in the correct folder, it will be visible in MySQL, or you will get errors when the server starts. Check /var/log/messages and your MySQL error log (as defined in your config).

If you don't get any errors and can't see the data, it's likely that the data path in my.cnf is pointing to a different folder.

answered May 16 '10 at 18:59

Andy

17,423
9
52
69

You were right about the issue, although the path to the data folder is actually set in "my.ini". my.cnf does not exist (searched the whole hard drive), and I'm not sure what log file you refer to. But no matter... it works. Thanks. – SamGoody May 16 '10 at 21:48
2

No problem. `my.ini` is the Windows version of `my.cnf` - MySQL is used far more often on Linux based systems, so I made the assumption with no OS info in the question. Your log file is defined in your config's `ErrorLog` directive. Worth an upvote perhaps? :) – Andy May 17 '10 at 08:22
Note to self: On Windows, you can copy/move the entire C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6\data folder to anywhere you want; just configure the new path in C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6\my.ini – Fredrik Johansson Feb 11 '13 at 13:52

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 14 '14 at 22:48

4

The above are good ideas. To recover backup from an existing backup directory with zero effect on any existing database:

change my.cnf / my.ini to your backup folder (if you don't have OUCH - do it in the future !!!)
restart MySQL service

You are now running from your backup, so do a MySQL dump for data tables you need

change my.cnf / my.ini to your active folder
restart MySQL service
import your dumped MySQL

answered Apr 14 '14 at 22:48

Datadimension

872
1
12
31

This was what I needed. Been trying other suggestions all day and this is the only thing that worked – AdRock Apr 26 '16 at 15:10
Do you mean to change the `datadir` line of `mysqld.cnf` to the backup folder? – Supernormal Jan 22 '20 at 08:50

Importing old mysql data folder

2 Answers2

Linked