An effective backup and restore strategy is essential for data protection, integrity, and consistency. In MySQL, backup proves to be useful when the database becomes unavailable or gets damaged or corrupted. A healthy backup can help in reducing downtime when it comes to restoring the database after sever failure or any other issue.
If there are any issues with your MySQL database or the database gets corrupted, you can easily restore the database from the backup. There are multiple ways to restore databases in MySQL Server. One of the effective ways to restore the MySQL databases is by using the mysqldump command. mysqldump is a command-line-based utility that helps users create logical backups. It helps in generating a text file with SQL statements to recreate the databases to their original state. This command can create dump files for backup and restore the MySQL database from them.
In this article, we will discuss the stepwise process to restore the MySQL databases using the mysqldump command.
Process to Restore MySQL Databases using the mysqldump Command
You can use the mysqldump utility to restore MySQL database from the dump file. Below, we will see how to use the mysqldump command to restore the databases in MySQL. But before using the command, ensure the following:
- The MySQL backup file you are trying to restore is accessible and updated.
- You have privileges to execute the SQL commands for the dumped tables. Make sure you have SELECT, SHOW VIEW, TRIGGERS, and CREATE privileges.
- The connection option is selected on the MySQL Server correctly.
- Make sure the MySQL Server is running.
Now, follow the steps below to restore the MySQL database using the mysqldump command:
- First, you need to drop and recreate the MySQL database. For this, use the following command:
drop db_namemysql > create db_name- Next , execute the below command to restore the database:
mysql -u root -p db_name < dump.sql- After successful execution of the above command, verify if the restored database contains all the data. To do so, execute the following command:
use db_name;
show tables;Note: mysqldump utility supports single-threading. Therefore, restoring a large MySQL database (more than 10 GB) using mysqldump utility is time-consuming.
An Alternative Solution to Restore MySQL Databases
If your backup file is obsolete or not updated, then there is a risk of losing the data. On the other hand, if the backup file is corrupted or damaged, then you cannot restore the databases using the native MySQL utilities. In such cases, you can use a professional third-party MySQL repair tool, like Stellar Repair for MySQL to recover data from corrupted MySQL database file. It is an optimal tool to repair MySQL databases without any file-size limitation. The tool supports recovery from databases created in InnoDB and MyISAM storage engines. It can restore all the objects from corrupted database, including tables, partitioned tables, views, triggers, primary keys, unique keys, foreign keys, etc. The tool is compatible with both Windows and Linux operating systems.
Some notable features of Stellar Repair for MySQL are:
- Repairs database created in MyISAM/InnoDB storage engines.
- Previews all the data, including queries and tables.
- Offers options to save the recovered data in MySQL, SQL Script, XLS, CSV, and HTML formats.
Tips to Prevent Corruption or Damage in MySQL Database
Here are some useful tips and preventive measures you can follow to reduce the chances of damage or corruption in MySQL database:
- Force closing the MySQL server application can lead to corruption. So, always make sure you close the MySQL server application properly before shutting down your system.
- Keep your system updated with the latest Windows updates and Antivirus software.
Conclusion
If your MySQL database is corrupted, you can restore it from the dump file using mysqldump command. Above, we have explained how to use the mysqldump command to restore MySQL databases. If it fails to restore your database, then the best solution is to use an advanced MySQL repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for MySQL to recover data from corrupt MySQL database file. It can repair MySQL database without any file-size limitation. It can restore all the data from corrupt or damaged databases quickly and without any modifications. The tool supports MySQL 8.0.36 and earlier versions and MariaDB up to 11.3.2. You can download the demo version of the tool to evaluate its functionality.
