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

by Vivek Gite · 19 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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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }

1 khmer 08.30.08 at 2:31 am

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

2 Amit Shah 10.31.08 at 1:49 pm

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

3 JosK 11.07.08 at 2:00 pm

THX!

4 EF 11.15.08 at 10:04 pm

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

5 Geen 11.26.08 at 1:50 am

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?

6 Steve 01.13.09 at 5:14 am

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

7 nowy9 03.09.09 at 12:20 am

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.

8 duong 06.03.09 at 3:48 pm

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

9 Madhav vyas 06.24.09 at 9:01 am

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

10 adhitya christiawan nurprasetyo 07.14.09 at 4:13 am

as usual, great article :)

11 jony 08.20.09 at 11:33 am

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

12 Fiifi Baidoo 09.01.09 at 3:42 pm

Worked like magic, thanks man…

13 stevo 09.03.09 at 3:29 pm

u rock. was going nuts!. thanks bruv

14 gara 09.24.09 at 8:10 am

use system-config-securitylevel-tui

Security Level = Disable
SELinux = DISABLE

!!!!

15 Dave 10.07.09 at 2:22 am

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!

16 Jonas 11.04.09 at 2:21 pm

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?

17 Balachandran 11.12.09 at 2:51 pm

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

18 Jonas 11.13.09 at 7:29 am

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

19 philippe 01.16.10 at 8:05 pm

Thank you,
This worked for me too.

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