Error mysql shutdown unexpectedly windows 10

Aug 2023

Disclaimer

Although many people said ‘it worked’ and very few say ‘it didn’t’.

It is hard to say what could be the cause and it is not working. Personally, the solution provided below worked for me and I didn’t get any issues so far hence I am sharing this.

I don’t suggest uninstalling, so you can basically back up the file and try this solution. If it doesn’t work then place those files again.

Worked on other Versions

This issue works on other xampp versions too.
I have not tested personally, but some users have.
( If you have tested on a different version, let me know in the comment, I will add it here)

• XAMPP v8.1.6 — Saeid Z
• XAMPP v7.4.16 — CapelliC
• XAMPP v3.3.0 — Myself

Feb 2022 (Problem)

I had the same problem today (2 feb 2022).
I fixed this using the same solution I mentioned below (See Dec 2021 (Solution))

XAMPP Issue Screenshot

XAMPP Fixed

Dec 2021 (Solution)

Since this question is active continuously,
I will try my best to solve it.

My issue

I visit this post every time this issue happens. The only thing I tried was that I uninstalled xampp and reinstalled it, which fixed the problem. That was on my old system.

I am using windows 10 brand new with no unwanted software or issues, and I got this unexpected shutdown again after a long time. I came to this question, hoping someone would tell me actually what was going on instead of fixing these issues. But unfortunately, I could not find it.

Just to clarify, my new issue is not with

• port
• unexpected shutdown
• windows stuck
• unwanted software
• virus or malware.

One day I turned on xampp, and it stops working.

Method 1 (22 Dec 2021)

1. Stop MySQL.
2. Go to the C:/xampp/mysql directory and copy the data folder and keep it somewhere else (probably in another drive) as a backup.
3. Go to your original data folder (C:/xampp/mysql) and sort the files by ‘Type.’
4. Select the files that have the type INFO File and delete them (screenshot below).
5. Start MySQL. It should work now.

Method 1 Screenshot

Important

Not necessarily the solution above will always fix the issue. Sometimes it will not. To avoid the major risk of losing the data, try these.

• Turn on MySQL in the Control Panel ONLY IF NEEDED.
• DO NOT set the XAMPP Control Panel to turn it on windows startup.
• Back up DB whenever possible. If not try to back up every weekend.
• Wait until Apache loads completely. When you turn on Apache it takes a few sec to load (indicated by the hour glass). Once it is loaded you turn on MySQL. — updated on Aug 2023

PS: I will try to update this answer whenever the above method(s) don’t work. I will try to explain it in the simplest way possible without uninstalling XAMPP.

Let me know if it works for you.

If you use a local development environment, you may run into problems that are similar to those on a live server. In some cases, your WordPress website may be unable to connect with its database because MySQL isn’t running or it shut down unexpectedly.

Depending on which local environment you use, the process of troubleshooting your MySQL database might vary a bit. With XAMPP, the process is remarkably straightforward since you get access to a control panel instead of having to rely on the command line only.

In this article, we’ll explain what XAMPP is and what the “MySQL shutdown unexpectedly” error means. Then we’ll walk you through three methods you can use to fix it. Let’s get to it!

An Introduction to XAMPP

XAMPP is a free, PHP development environment that you can use for Windows, macOS, or Linux. It is a collection of software that enables you to host websites locally by mimicking the functions of a live server:

Using XAMPP, you can install all the software you need to run WordPress locally using a single bundle, rather than setting up each element individually. Development environments differ in what software they bundle.

With XAMPP, the components that you get include:

• Apache: This is arguably the most popular web server software in the world, and it enables you to host sites.
• MariaDB: This open-source database software enables you to manage databases.
• PHP: WordPress is built on PHP, which means you need a PHP install to run the Content Management System (CMS).
• Perl: Although WordPress doesn’t use the Perl programming language, it comes as part of the XAMPP stack by default.

On top of setting up the software you need to run WordPress, XAMPP provides you with a simple control panel:

This enables you to access logs for each of XAMPP’s components. It includes an overview log that shows you everything that’s happening in the background of your environment.

However, using a local development distribution doesn’t mean your server isn’t susceptible to errors. In some cases, the software components may malfunction, such as with the XAMPP error “MySQL shutdown unexpectedly”.

What Is the XAMPP Error “MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly”?

As the name of the error implies, this is the message you’ll see if the MySQL software on your environment shuts down or ceases to function unexpectedly:

We say “unexpectedly”, because you can manually shut down the MySQL database software at any point. That also happens when you restart your server.

However, when the software is shut down, your website won’t be able to connect to its database. In other words, WordPress won’t work.

As you can see in the above image, XAMPP provides you with advice on troubleshooting the “MySQL shutdown unexpectedly error” right within its events log. In the next section, we’ll go into more detail on the various ways you can use to fix this issue.

How to Fix the XAMPP Error “MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly” (3 Methods)?

Typically, fixing the XAMPP error “MySQL shutdown unexpectedly” is quick and easy. Below, we’ll walk you through three fixes, starting with the simplest.

1. Run XAMPP Using Administrator Privileges

Often, XAMPP produces errors when you don’t run the software using administrator privileges. This is because its components may not be able to function or configure properly at lower permission levels.

If you’re unsure whether that’s the case with your setup, we recommend that you close XAMPP altogether, and then restart the environment as an administrator. To do so in Windows, find the folder where you installed XAMPP and locate the xampp-control file. Next, right-click on that file and select Run as administrator:

If you’re a macOS user, you can right-click on the folder, and then select Get Info. In the pop-up window that opens, navigate to the Sharing & Permissions section, click on the padlock icon, and enter your administrator password. Change the Read & Write permission settings to Everyone.

Once XAMPP is up and each of its components is running, MySQL should function correctly. That means your database will be accessible.

2. Restore Your Database Backup

If restarting XAMPP with administrator privileges doesn’t solve the problem with your database, the next step is to restore its backup. XAMPP automatically creates backups for your environment’s software, which you can access within the folder where you installed it.

By default, your XAMPP MySQL backup files should be under Local Disk > XAMPP > MySQL. Inside that directory, you’ll see several folders, two of which are called data and backup:

The data folder includes all of the files that your database uses. The backup folder contains a single recent copy of your MySQL.

You can make a backup by clicking on the Stop button to the right of the MySQL option on the main menu:

Once you stop MySQL, return to XAMPP’s MySQL folder and follow these steps to restore the MySQL backup:

1. Make a copy of the data folder.
2. Rename this new folder copy to something like data-old. This will be your backup.
3. Copy the contents of the backup folder into the data folder.

That’s it! To play it safe, though, we strongly recommend that you keep the data-old folder around until you make sure everything is working properly.

At this stage, you can return to the XAMPP control panel to restart MySQL, which should be running correctly now.

3. Change Your MySQL Port

One of the most common causes of the XAMPP error “MySQL shutdown unexpectedly” is another software using the port assigned to MySQL. By default, it tends to be 3306. To be certain, you can select the Netstat module from XAMPP’s control panel, right above the Shell tool:

Netstat is a command line tool that can show you active connections on your network, including which ports they’re using. Once you initialize Netstat, you’ll be able to see what port each tool in your stack is using, including MySQL.

If a conflict with that port caused the shutdown, restoring a backup or running MySQL with administrator privileges won’t make a difference. The only way to solve this issue is to change the port that MySQL uses. Thanks to Netstat, you can see what that port is and which other ones are in use.

To do so, go ahead and stop the service, using the same process we showed you in the last section. Next, click on the Config button next to MySQLon XAMPP’s main menu, and then select the my.ini option:

The my.ini file contains the MySQL configuration settings. After you click on it, XAMPP will open the file using your default text editor. Once you’re in, look for the line that reads Port, which specifies the port number that MySQL uses.

Here, you can change that port number to another option that you know other programs aren’t using. In most cases, we recommend using 3307, which should be available. Save your changes and close the my.ini file.

You can then use the XAMPP control panel to restart MySQL. Hopefully, your database is now working as it should. If for some reason, XAMPP can’t connect to your database using the new port that you set, it will let you know through the control panel’s log. In that case, you might try using a different port instead.

Summary

If you use XAMPP to run WordPress locally, you may encounter the occasional error with your server’s configuration. One of the most common issues is MySQL shutting down unexpectedly.

The good news is that, if this does happen, there are three methods you can use to troubleshoot the issue:

1. Run XAMPP using administrator privileges.
2. Restore your database backup.
3. Change your MySQL port.

If you enjoyed this XAMPP tutorial, be sure to check out DevKinsta as well. DevKinsta is our free local development tool that lets you quickly spin up WordPress sites with customizable PHP settings, HTTPS support, built-in email and database management, and more. DevKinsta also features full integration with MyKinsta, but you don’t have to be a Kinsta customer to integrate DevKinsta into your workflow.

Have you ever encountered the dreaded error message, «MySQL shutdown unexpectedly?» Don’t panic – here’s a guide on how to fix the issue. Depending on the cause of the crash, there are a few different steps you can take to get your database up and running again.

So don’t fret – we’ll help you troubleshoot and solve the problem in no time!

Are you getting the error message «Error: MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly?» This is a common error among Windows users. You’ll learn how to fix here.

Table of Contents 

• What Is the “MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly” Error? Possible Causes
• How to Fix “Error: MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly”
• Method 1. Run XAMPP As Administrator
• Method 2. Restore Your MySQL Backup Folder
• Method 3. Repair the MySQL Database With Shell Commands
• Method 4. Stop the MySQL Service
• Method 5. Change Your Client and Server Ports
• TL;DR
• Conclusion

What Is the “MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly” Error? Possible Causes

When trying to start the MySQL server through the XAMPP web server control panel, some users have received the error message «Error: MySQL shutdown unexpectedly.» The problem may emerge after users reinstall XAMPP on their machine in some situations.

This occurs when MySQL files are corrupted or damaged, in which case you must use the backup folder in the MySQL directory. We will walk you through the process of resolving this error message in this article, so you won’t have to worry about anything.

Some possible causes for this error include:

• Another program is using the MySQL port: If another program is already using the port that MySQL is configured to use, you will see this error. To fix this, you’ll need to change the MySQL port to something else.
• The MySQL configuration is corrupt: This can happen if the MySQL configuration file (my.cnf) is corrupt or has been modified incorrectly. If this is the case, you’ll need to restore the file from a backup or reset it to the default values.
• The MySQL service is not running: In some cases, the MySQL service may not be running at all. This can be due to a number of reasons, but most often it’s because of a problem with the MySQL service account or permissions.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to try and fix this problem. First, try restarting the MySQL service. If that doesn’t work, then you can try changing the MySQL configuration to use a different port. Finally, if all else fails, you can uninstall and then reinstall MySQL.

Let’s go through each of these steps in more detail.

How to Fix “Error: MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly”

Here are a few things you can do to try and fix the «MySQL shutdown unexpectedly» error:

Method 1. Run XAMPP As Administrator

If you are using XAMPP to run MySQL, you will need to run it as an administrator before you can start the MySQL service. To do this, find the XAMPP Control Panel shortcut on your desktop and right-click on it. Then, select «Run as Administrator» from the menu.

Method 2. Restore Your MySQL Backup Folder

If you have a backup of your MySQL folder, you can restore it to fix the «MySQL shutdown unexpectedly» error. By doing so, you will replace the damaged or corrupt files with backups.

To restore your MySQL backup folder, follow these steps:

1. Close the XAMPP web server completely. Navigate to the location where XAMPP is installed after you’ve closed the web server. XAMPP is located by default at «C:\xampp.»
2. Open the “mysql” folder. Locate the “data” folder and rename it to “data_old” to store the old files in a safe way. This step is crucial to make sure you have a backup.
3. After that, right-click anywhere in the directory and select New > Folder from the context menu to create a new folder. Give the newly created folder the name “data”.
4. After you’ve created the new data folder, open the “backup” folder. Copy the backup folder’s contents and paste them into the newly created “data” folder.
5. Now that you’ve completed all of this, run XAMPP as an administrator. Try running the MySQL server once the XAMPP Control Panel is open to see whether the problem persists.

Method 3. Repair the MySQL Database With Shell Commands

If you can’t start MySQL, you can try repairing it using shell commands.

1. To begin, go to the XAMPP Control Panel. By clicking the Shell button in the XAMPP Control Panel, you can launch a shell.
2. To start MySQL, open a shell and type the following command: mysqld —console —skip-grant-tables —skip-external-locking
3. After that, use the Control Panel to open another shell window. To repair the database, copy and paste the following command into the new shell window: mysqlcheck -r —databases mysql —use-frm
4. Stop MySQL from the first shell window, and then close both shell windows after that’s done. After that, restart MySQL to see if the problem is still present.

Method 4. Stop the MySQL Service

If all else fails, you can try stopping the MySQL service and manually starting your MySQL service from the XAMPP Control Panel. To do this, follow these steps:

1. On your keyboard, press the Windows + R keys. This will launch the Run application.
2. Without the quotation marks, type «services.msc» and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. The Services application will be launched as a result of this.
   
   
3. Scroll down until you see the MySQL service in the alphabetical list. Right-click on it, and then choose Stop from the context menu.
   
   
4. Wait for the service to come to a halt. After that, see if the problem persists by manually starting the MySQL server from the XAMPP Control Panel.

Method 5. Change Your Client and Server Ports

If you are still having problems, you can try changing the default MySQL ports. To do this, you’ll need to edit the configuration file for MySQL.

1. To begin, open Windows Explorer and go to the installation location for xampp.
2. Navigate to mysql > bin within the xampp folder.
3. Open the my.ini file with the Notepad application. To do so, right-click the file and select Open with > Notepad from the context menu.
4. After you’ve opened the my.ini file, modify the client and server ports as indicated in the image below:
   
   
5. Save the file and restart XAMPP after that. Finally, start the MySQL server to verify if the problem persists.

By following these steps, you should be able to fix the «MySQL shutdown unexpectedly» error. If you are still having trouble or have any questions, please feel free to leave a message below!

TL;DR

• The «MySQL shutdown unexpectedly» error is most often caused by a conflict with another program or a problem with the MySQL configuration.
• If you are getting the «MySQL shutdown unexpectedly» error, try restarting the MySQL service, repairing the MySQL database, or changing the MySQL ports.
• If all else fails, you can try uninstalling and then reinstalling MySQL.

Conclusion

The «MySQL shutdown unexpectedly» error can be a little intimidating, but it’s easy to fix. We’ve outlined the most common causes of this error and how to solve them.

We hope this article has helped you understand the root of the MySQL shutdown unexpectedly error and given you some tools to fix it. If you’re still having trouble, or if this was your first time encountering this issue and would like more help, be sure to check out our other blog posts on MySQL.

You can also reach out to us for support – we’d be happy to help!

Thank you for reading.

One More Thing

Looking for more tips? Check out our other guides in our Blog or visit our Help Center for a wealth of information on how to troubleshoot various issues.

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Some users are unable to start MySQL in XAMPP. According to them, every time they start MySQL in XAMPP, they receive an error message that says “Error: MySQL shutdown unexpectedly.” The most common cause of this problem is the corrupted database files of XAMPP. If you are experiencing such an issue with MySQL, the suggestions provided in this post may help you fix the problem.

Why does MySQL shutdown unexpectedly?

It is necessary to stop MySQL before exiting XAMPP. If you exit XAMPP without stopping MySQL, it may corrupt the MySQL data files. Due to this, you may experience several problems with MySQL, like the shutting down of MySQL unexpectedly. If you are experiencing such a problem, it might be possible that the MySQL data files on your system are corrupted. We have described some troubleshooting methods that may help you get rid of this problem.

Try the following solutions to fix the issue. Before you proceed, we recommend you create a backup of the XAMPP folder. For this, copy the XAMPP folder and paste it into another partition of your hard drive or your external hard drive.

1. Launch XAMPP as administrator
2. Repair MySQL Database
3. Modify the my.ini file
4. Delete all the files inside the Data folder
5. Rename the aria_log_control file
6. Stop all the SQL services and start them again
7. Copy the files from the Backup folder to the Data folder
8. Delete the INFO file(s) from the Data folder
9. Rename the Data folder and copy the ibdata1 file to the Data folder
10. Uninstall and reinstall Xampp

Let’s see all these solutions in detail. Before trying every method written below, make sure that you have closed XAMPP properly.

1] Launch XAMPP as administrator

It is recommended to always launch XAMPP as an administrator to avoid data file corruption. Launch XAMPP as administrator and see if it fixes the problem. If this helps, you will save time on other troubleshooting methods. To launch XAMPP as administrator, follow the steps below:

1. Click on Windows Search and type XAMPP.
2. Right-click on XAMPP and select Run as Administrator.
3. Click Yes if you receive the UAC prompt.

You can also set XAMPP to always run as administrator.

2] Repair MySQL Database

As described above in this article, the main cause of this problem is the corruption in XAMPP data files. If the problem is occurring on your computer due to this issue, repairing the MySQL database can fix the issue. The steps to repair the MySQL database are given below:

Click on Windows Search and type PowerShell. Select Windows PowerShell from the Search Results.

Type the following command and press Enter.

mysqld --console --skip-grant-tables --skip-external-locking

The above command will start the MySQL server without loading the grant tables. When the above command is executed successfully, type the following command and press Enter.

mysqlcheck -r --databases mysql --use-frm

The above command will repair the MySQL database. After the above commands are executed successfully, check if the issue persists.

3] Modify the my.ini file

Changing the port by modifying the my.ini file has fixed the issue for some users. You can also try this. Open the my.ini file and change the port 3306 to something else. By default, the my.ini file is located at the following location:

C:\xampp\mysql\bin

1. Open the File Explorer.
2. Copy the above path and paste it into the address bar of File Explorer. After that hit Enter.
3. Now, scroll down and locate the my.ini file.
4. Once you find it, right-click on it and select “Open with > Notepad.”

If you do not find the my.ini file at the above-mentioned location, you can follow the instructions mentioned below.

1. Click on Windows Search and type XAMPP.
2. Right-click on XAMPP from the search results and select Run as Administrator.
3. Click Yes in the UAC prompt. This will open the XAMPP Control panel.
4. Click on the Config button next to MySQL and select my.ini. This will open the my.ini file in your default text editor software.

After opening the my.ini file in Notepad, press the Ctrl + F keys and type 3306. Replace any of the 3306 ports with a different port number. You can enter any random port number, like 3307, 3308, etc. For some users, replacing the 3306 port with 2811 fixed the issue.

Save the my.ini file and close Notepad. Restart your computer and then launch XAMPP. Check if the issue is fixed. If this does not work, revert the changes that you have made in the my.ini file and try the next solution.

4] Delete all the files inside the Data folder

If the above solution did not fix your problem, revert the changes in the my.ini file that you have just made. Now, open the File Explorer and go to the following path:

C:\xampp\mysql\data

The above path opens the Data folder directly. Now, delete all the files except the folders. After deleting the files inside the Data folder, go to the following path in File Explorer:

C:\xampp\mysql\bin

Locate the my.ini file and open it with Notepad. Now, type port=8111 just below port=3306 (as shown in the screenshot above). Press the Ctrl + S keys to save the changes you made in the my.ini file and close Notepad. Now, run XAMPP as administrator and start MySQL. The problem should not occur this time.

5] Rename the aria_log_control file

If the above solution did not fix your problem, Open the XAMPP folder that you copied on your external hard drive or on another hard drive partition and copy all the contents inside it. Now, open the XAMPP on your C drive and paste the copied content there. Replace the files and folders if you will be asked to do so. Now, go to the following path:

C:\xampp\mysql\data

Rename aria_log_control to aria_log_control_old and launch XAMPP. Start MySQL and see if this brings any changes. If this does not help, revert the changes and try the next solution.

Read: Best free Xampp Server alternatives for developers.

6] Stop all the SQL services and start them again

Restarting the SQL services has fixed the issue of some users. This method may work for you too. Open the Services app and stop all the SQL services and start them again. The steps to do this are written below:

1. Press the Win + R keys. This will launch the Run command box.
2. Type services.msc and click OK. The Service Management window will appear.
3. In the Services app, scroll down and locate the SQL services. You may find more than one SQL service on your computer.
4. Stop all the SQL services. For this, right-click on SQL service and select Stop.
5. Now, right-click again on the SQL services and select Start.

After restarting the SQL services, close the Services app and launch XAMPP as administrator. Start MySQL and see if the error occurs again.

7] Copy the files from the Backup folder to the Data folder

Another effective solution to fix this problem is to copy all the data inside the Backup folder and paste it into the Data folder. To do so, first, copy the below path and paste it into the address bar of the File Explorer. After that press Enter.

C:\xampp\mysql\backup

This will open the Backup folder of XAMPP in your C directory. Now, copy all the data from there and go to the following path:

C:\xampp\mysql\data

Paste the copied data there. If you are prompted to replace the files, select Yes. Launch XAMPP as administrator and check if you can start MySQL this time. If not, try the next solution.

8] Delete the INFO file(s) from the Data folder

If the problem still persists, delete the INFO file and check if it helps. The INFO file(s) is/are located at the following location on your C drive.

C:\xampp\mysql\data

Whether there is one or more than one INFO file at the above location, you have to delete all of them. After deleting the INFO file(s), launch XAMPP and start MySQL. MySQL should start without giving any error.

If this does not work, copy all the files from the XAMPP folder that you have created as a backup on your external hard drive or on another hard drive partition and paste the copied files inside the XAMPP folder on your C drive. Replace the files and folders if you are asked to do so.

9] Rename the Data folder and copy the ibdata1 file to the Data folder

This solution has helped a lot of users. If the above solutions did not fix your problem, this method should work for you. Rename the Data folder and copy the ibdata1 file to the Data folder. The process to do this is explained below.

1. Open the XAMPP folder located on your C drive.
2. Now, open the mysql folder.
3. Rename the data folder to data_old.
4. Copy the backup folder on another partition of your hard drive or on an external hard drive. Now, rename the backup folder located inside the mysql folder on your C drive to data.
5. Open the data_old folder and copy all the database folders inside it and the ibdata1 file. Do not copy the mysql, performance_schema, and phpmyadmin folders. Now, open the data folder (which was actually the backup folder earlier) and paste the copied data there. Replace the files if you are asked to do so.
6. Launch XAMPP Control Panel and start mysql.

10] Uninstall and reinstall XAMPP

If all the above solutions failed to fix your problem, uninstall and reinstall XAMPP. You can uninstall XAMPP from the Control Panel or from Windows 11/10 Settings. After uninstalling Xampp, download its latest version from the official website of Apache and install it again.

Read: How to increase phpMyAdmin upload size on XAMPP.

What to do if MySQL is not opening in XAMPP?

You may experience problems with XAMPP if you install it in another location instead of its default location. The default location to install XAMPP is c:\xampp. Therefore, if you have installed XAMPP on another location, uninstall it and install it on its default location. If you have installed XAMPP on its default location but still MySQL is not opening or running in XAMPP, open the Services app in Windows 11/10 and stop all SQL services and start them again.

Another effective solution to fix this problem is to change the port 3306 to 3308. To do this, you have to edit the my.ini file, which is located at the following location:

C:\xampp\mysql\bin

Hope this helps.

Read next: Apache is not starting from XAMPP Control Panel in Windows 11/10.