/usr/libexec/mysqld: Can’t create/write to file ‘/tmp/’ (Errcode: 13)

by Vivek Gite on April 20, 2007 · 26 comments

Q. I’m using Red Hat enterprise Linux version 4.0 and MySQL version 4.20. Monit has recently notified me following error:
mysqld' failed to start.

A detailed log from /var/log/mysqld.log file:

/usr/libexec/mysqld: Can't create/write to file '/tmp/ibCfJwf1' (Errcode: 13)
070420 10:07:58 InnoDB: Error: unable to create temporary file; errno: 13
070420 10:07:58 [ERROR] Can't init databases
070420 10:07:58 [ERROR] Aborting

070420 10:07:58 [Note] /usr/libexec/mysqld: Shutdown complete

/etc/init.d/mysql start command returned following output:
Initializing MySQL database: [ OK ]
Timeout error occurred trying to start MySQL Daemon.
Starting MySQL: [FAILED]

How do I fix this problem?

A. MySQL is not able to access your /tmp directory to wirte and create temporary files. Make sure /tmp is owned by root and sticky bit is set on /tmp directory. Type the following commands to fix the error:
# chown root:root /tmp
# chmod 1777 /tmp
# /etc/init.d/mysqld start

Now mysql should start without a problem.

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{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }

1 khmer August 30, 2008

Oh, dear. Thank you so much. You have save the day. I had this problem and found your site on Google and it works!!! thank you so much

Reply

2 Amit Shah October 31, 2008

Thank a lot for posting answer. I had this problem and found your site on Google and its solve my problem!!!

Reply

3 JosK November 7, 2008

THX!

Reply

4 EF November 15, 2008

It’s not solving my problem. It’s still not starting. The same error shows up in the log file :(

Reply

5 Geen November 26, 2008

Didn’t fix mine either although my error was slightly different:
081127 2:38:09 [Warning] Can’t create test file /var/lib/mysql/bobby.lower-test
081127 2:38:09 [Warning] Can’t create test file /var/lib/mysql/bobby.lower-test
/usr/libexec/mysqld: Can’t change dir to ‘/var/lib/mysql/’ (Errcode: 13)
081127 2:38:09 [ERROR] Aborting

WHo can help me with this?

Reply

6 Steve January 13, 2009

Thanks your a genius works a treat was getting an error when restoring back up now everything fine

Reply

7 nowy9 March 9, 2009

Where should I type the commands to fix the error?

I use VertrigoSerwer 2.21
(Appache 2.0.63; PHP 5.2.6; MySQL 5.0.51b PhpMyAdmin 2.11.7)
This is WAP for Windows XP.

Reply

8 duong June 3, 2009

Thank you for posting the fix. Mine is working after that.
Best regards.

Reply

9 Madhav vyas June 24, 2009

It still not works. It is not perfect solution.
Please give me other solution

Reply

10 adhitya christiawan nurprasetyo July 14, 2009

as usual, great article :)

Reply

11 jony August 20, 2009

thank you .. you save my day … i love you full hahaha

Reply

12 Fiifi Baidoo September 1, 2009

Worked like magic, thanks man…

Reply

13 stevo September 3, 2009

u rock. was going nuts!. thanks bruv

Reply

14 gara September 24, 2009

use system-config-securitylevel-tui

Security Level = Disable
SELinux = DISABLE

!!!!

Reply

15 Dave October 7, 2009

Thank you!!! A website that someone built 5 years ago just stopped working today, and I couldn’t figure it out until coming across this solution. You’re a lifesaver!

Reply

16 Jonas November 4, 2009

I’m getting an error while starting mysqld in windows xp sp2. The error saying:
mysqld: Error on delete of ‘C:\Program Files\iBerry Logics\server\MySQL\data\Com 1.lower-test’ (Errcode: 22)

Can anybody please help me?

Reply

17 Balachandran November 12, 2009

Dear ,

Really It was helpful. Thanks..

But when i am restarting —– “/etc/init.d/mysqld start” instead of mysqld i put mysql then its started.

Any way thanks.

Regards,
bala

Reply

18 Jonas November 13, 2009

Hi,

The problem was solved and the issue was about the computer name. They named their computer as com1,com2 and com3. MySQL server started to run after i renamed their system.

Regards

Reply

19 philippe January 16, 2010

Thank you,
This worked for me too.

Reply

20 Carlos March 5, 2010

Thank you, this was driving me crazy

Reply

21 Amol December 21, 2010

please solve this error,
I got this error while run the program,
PHP Fatal error: Uncaught exception ‘Exception’ with message ‘MySQL error:3-Error writing file ‘/tmp/MYpNMlAM’ (Errcode: 28).
plz help mi,
i check size used by temp bt it still used only 2% outoff 471M.
please guide mi properly

Reply

22 Nikhil January 19, 2011

Dude,
Your blog is the best ever seen, i mean you got solutions for each problem i have ever faced in my servers lol.
This is crazy, i just run back to your blog each time i face any issues.
Thanks a LOT for this awesome blog.

Reply

23 Sys-halt March 28, 2011

Thank you Vivek. It was very helpful. It solved my problem, the tmp directory was have no permissions on it due to a security hardening tool my colleagues ran on the server to enforce security on it.

Thank you again

Reply

24 David August 21, 2011

You made my day.

Reply

25 yogesh August 23, 2011

BRAVO…. spend lots of time on it….. :( but u made it come true in just few sec..

thanks a lot.. cheerssssssss :D

Reply

26 Streaming film December 9, 2011

Thanks!
I was editing the tmp file to resize it and is appeard this message.
I solved it with your help, you are great!
Sorry for my bad english,
Bye!

Reply

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