MySQL mysqld.exe Aria Recovery Failed - Complete Fix Guide

The Aria recovery failed error in MySQL indicates corrupted Aria tables or incomplete recovery. This guide covers recovery methods, table repair, and prevention strategies.

Understanding Aria Storage Engine

Aria is a crash-safe storage engine (formerly Maria) used by MySQL/MariaDB for system tables and temporary tables.

Key Characteristics:

• Crash-safe transactions
• Used for system tables
• Faster than MyISAM
• Better recovery than MyISAM

Common Aria Tables:

• mysql.* system tables
• Temporary tables
• Some user tables

Error Symptoms

Common Error Messages:

• Aria recovery failed
• mysqld.exe: Aria recovery failed
• Can't open table for Aria tables
• MySQL won’t start

Symptoms:

• MySQL service fails to start
• Error logs show Aria recovery issues
• System tables inaccessible
• Database corruption warnings

Recovery Methods

Method 1: Automatic Recovery

MySQL attempts automatic recovery on startup. If it fails:

1. Check Error Logs:

   • Location: C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server X.X\Data\*.err
   • Look for specific Aria errors

2. Stop MySQL Service:

   net stop MySQL

3. Start with Recovery:

   mysqld --console --aria-recover

Method 2: Manual Table Repair

1. Stop MySQL:

net stop MySQL

2. Run aria_chk:

cd "C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\bin"
aria_chk -r mysql.user

3. Repair All Aria Tables:

aria_chk -r mysql.*

Method 3: Rebuild Aria Logs

1. Stop MySQL

2. Backup Data Directory:

xcopy "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data" "C:\backup" /E /I

3. Remove Aria Log Files:

del "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data\aria_log_control"
del "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data\aria_log.*"

4. Start MySQL (will rebuild logs)

Repair Aria Tables

Using aria_chk

Check Table:

aria_chk -c mysql.user

Repair Table:

aria_chk -r mysql.user

Extended Repair:

aria_chk -r -e mysql.user

Using MySQL REPAIR

Connect to MySQL:

mysql -u root -p

Repair Table:

REPAIR TABLE mysql.user;

Repair All Aria Tables:

REPAIR TABLE mysql.user, mysql.db, mysql.host;

Prevention Strategies

1. Proper Shutdown

Always shut down MySQL properly:

mysqladmin -u root -p shutdown

2. Regular Backups

Backup Aria tables regularly:

mysqldump -u root -p mysql > mysql_backup.sql

3. Monitor Logs

Check error logs regularly for early warnings.

4. Avoid Force Shutdown

Don’t force-kill MySQL process.

5. Disk Space

Ensure adequate disk space for Aria logs.

Advanced Recovery

Complete Aria Rebuild

1. Stop MySQL

2. Backup Everything:

xcopy "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data" "C:\backup" /E /I

3. Remove Aria Files:

del "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data\aria_log_control"
del "C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\Data\aria_log.*"

4. Start MySQL - Will rebuild Aria structure

Restore from Backup

If recovery fails:

1. Stop MySQL
2. Restore Data Directory from backup
3. Start MySQL

Quick Fix Checklist

1. ✅ Stop MySQL service
2. ✅ Check error logs for specific issues
3. ✅ Run aria_chk to repair tables
4. ✅ Rebuild Aria logs if needed
5. ✅ Start MySQL and verify
6. ✅ Test database functionality

Conclusion

Fixing Aria recovery:

1. Stop MySQL safely
2. Use aria_chk to repair tables
3. Rebuild logs if corrupted
4. Restore from backup if needed
5. Prevent with proper shutdowns

Key Points:

• Aria is crash-safe but can still corrupt
• Use aria_chk for table repair
• Rebuild logs if corrupted
• Always backup before recovery
• Proper shutdown prevents issues

With systematic recovery, Aria tables can usually be restored.