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.
You should follow me on twitter here or grab rss feed to keep track of new changes.
Featured Articles:
- 30 Handy Bash Shell Aliases For Linux / Unix / Mac OS X
- Top 30 Nmap Command Examples For Sys/Network Admins
- 25 PHP Security Best Practices For Sys Admins
- 20 Linux System Monitoring Tools Every SysAdmin Should Know
- 20 Linux Server Hardening Security Tips
- Linux: 20 Iptables Examples For New SysAdmins
- Top 20 OpenSSH Server Best Security Practices
- Top 20 Nginx WebServer Best Security Practices
- 20 Examples: Make Sure Unix / Linux Configuration Files Are Free From Syntax Errors
- 15 Greatest Open Source Terminal Applications Of 2012

- My 10 UNIX Command Line Mistakes
- Top 10 Open Source Web-Based Project Management Software
- Top 5 Email Client For Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows Users
- The Novice Guide To Buying A Linux Laptop














{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
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
Thank a lot for posting answer. I had this problem and found your site on Google and its solve my problem!!!
THX!
It’s not solving my problem. It’s still not starting. The same error shows up in the log file :(
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?
Thanks your a genius works a treat was getting an error when restoring back up now everything fine
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.
Thank you for posting the fix. Mine is working after that.
Best regards.
It still not works. It is not perfect solution.
Please give me other solution
as usual, great article :)
thank you .. you save my day … i love you full hahaha
Worked like magic, thanks man…
u rock. was going nuts!. thanks bruv
use system-config-securitylevel-tui
Security Level = Disable
SELinux = DISABLE
!!!!
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!
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?
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
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
Thank you,
This worked for me too.
Thank you, this was driving me crazy
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
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.
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
You made my day.
BRAVO…. spend lots of time on it….. :( but u made it come true in just few sec..
thanks a lot.. cheerssssssss :D
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!
Thanks for this. Tried installing on a fresh install of fedora and kept getting this error. You saved me lots of time.
Thanks my friend, I was stuck for a while!
:-)
I have the same problem,
here is a query I want to execute,
mysql> select * from remote into outfile ‘/home/nshaikh/mysql_out/outfile.txt’;
ERROR 1 (HY000): Can’t create/write to file ‘/home/nshaikh/mysql_out/outfile.txt’ (Errcode: 13)
I have changed the permission of file to ’777′;
I tried with ‘root’ and some other user ‘dump’, executing this command in mysql interactive shell,
please
reply with your valuable answers.
Thank you,
Thanks – saved a lot of trouble !
Hi,
I have another user for database say ‘navid’. How can I grant it permission to write to directory as in this case ‘/tmp’ ?
is ‘/tmp’ is only directory where we can set permissions for db users to write into or other directories can also be made writable?
thank you.