Restore the mysql database from .frm files

Question

I have dumped all my tables everyweek to got the backup. But later I understand that it is only storing the .frm file of the table. It is not showing .MYD and .MYI files of a table. So I have only my .frm file of the database with me and also mydatabase is innodb. So can I get my database with data in the database?

Answer 1

Yes this is possible. It is not enough you just copy the .frm files to the to the databse folder but you also need to copy the ib_logfiles and ibdata file into your data folder. I have just copy the .frm files and copy those files and just restart the server and my database is restored.

After copying the above files execute the following command -

sudo chown -R mysql:mysql /var/lib/mysql

The above command will change the file owner under mysql and it's folder to MySql user. Which is important for mysql to read the .frm and ibdata files.

Answer 2

Just might be useful for someone:

I could only recover frm files after a disaster, at least I could get the table structure from FRM files by doing the following:

1- create some dummy tables with at least one column and SAME NAME with frm files in a new mysql database.

2-stop mysql service

3- copy and paste the old frm files to newly created table's frm files, it should ask you if you want to overwrite or not for each. replace all.

4-start mysql service, and you have your table structure...

regards. anybudy