How to Resolve MySQL Error 1034 (HY000)?

You may encounter the MySQL error 1034 (HY000) while updating or inserting data in the tables in MySQL database. The complete error message looks like this:

MySQL error 1034 (HY000): Incorrect key file for table ‘employee data’; try to repair it OR Table “employee data” is marked as crashed and last (automatic?) Repair failed.”

This error usually occurs while executing the queries. Due to this error, you may fail to execute the queries (DML statements) or get incorrect query results. The error occurs if there is an incorrect key file in the table. The key file is a temporary file for creating indexes for the tables. The error can also appear due to various other reasons. Let’s take a look at the possible causes behind this error and the solutions to resolve it.

What Causes MySQL Error 1034 (HY000)?

The error 1034 in MySQL indicates corruption in the tables or the database. It can occur due to one of the following reasons:

• Hard disk hosting MySQL Server is out of storage space.
• Lack of permissions on the MyISAM table files' folder.
• Interruption in write operations due to sudden MySQL Server crash.
• Write operations fail in the middle.
• Corrupted index files in the MyISAM tables.
• Corruption in MyISAM tables.

Methods to Resolve the MySQL Error 1034 (HY000)

Here are some methods you can try to troubleshoot the MySQL Error 1034 (HY000).

Method 1 - Check Disk Space

Lack of storage on the disk where the database is saved may create issues with the tables or database. Make sure the disk drive where the database is saved has sufficient storage. To check disk space on Windows,

• Right-click on the drive where the database is saved and select Properties.

• In Properties window, you can check free space.

If space is low, then free-up the drive space.

If you’re using Linux operating system, then you can use the dl command (df –h) to check disk space. This command shows disk space in human-readable format.

If the disk is full, then you can clear the temp files using the below command:

sudo apt-get autoremove .

Caution: This command removes the unnecessary packages (which were downloaded with uninstalled programs).

Method 2 - Use Optimize Command in MySQL

The MySQL error 1034 can occur due to corrupted index data in tables. In such a case, you can optimize/defragment the table using the OPTIMIZE TABLE command in MySQL. To run the command, make sure you have ‘insert’ and ‘select’ privileges for the table. Here is the command:

mysql> OPTIMIZE TABLE tbl_name;

After executing this command, try to update the table to check if the error is fixed or not.

Method 3 - Repair MyISAM Table

The primary reason for the error 1034 is corruption in the table. You can use the REPAIR TABLE command in MySQL to repair the corrupt MyISAM table.

The syntax to repair a single MyISAM table on a Windows system is:

REPAIR TABLE tablename [options]

You can also use the mysqlcheck command-line utility to repair MyISAM database tables. Here’s the command to repair a specific table using mysqlcheck utility:

mysqlcheck --repair databasename tablename

If you’re running Linux operating system, you can use the following command to repair the corrupt table:

mysqlcheck –r database_name table_name –u root –p;

Method 4 - Use phpMyAdmin to Repair MySQL Tables

phpMyAdmin is an open-source web-based tool to interact with MySQL using a web browser. It provides options, such as checking, repairing, and optimizing MySQL database tables. You can repair the MySQL database tables with phpMyAdmin. However, it is suitable to repair a small database. Repairing a large database with multiple tables is time-consuming.

What If nothing works?

If the above methods fail to fix the MySQL error 1034 (HY000), you can use a professional MySQL repair tool, like Stellar Repair for MySQL. It can easily repair even severely corrupted databases – both MyISAM and InnoDB. It restore all the tables, indexes, and other objects from the corrupted MySQL database, maintaining original formatting. The tool helps in fixing all the common errors related to corruption in the MySQL database. You can download the demo version of the tool to scan the corrupt database and preview the recoverable objects. The tool supports both Linux and Windows operating systems.

Closure

The MySQL error 1034 (HY000) generally occurs due to corrupt indexes and tables in MySQL database. You can follow the above-discussed methods, such as defragmenting the table using the optimize command, repairing MySQL tables, etc., to resolve the error. If nothing works, then the best option is to use an advanced MySQL repair tool, like Stellar Repair for MySQL. It can repair corrupt MySQL tables and other objects, with complete integrity and precision.