MySQL 1234: Cannot unlock partition.

When encountering the error "1234: Cannot unlock partition" in a MySQL database and there's no database administrator available, follow these steps immediately:

  1. Check for Active Locks



Run the following SQL query to check if there are any active locks that might be causing the issue:
SHOW OPEN TABLES WHERE In_use > 0;
This will list tables that are currently locked. Identify if the partition in question is part of these tables.

  1. Identify Locking Transactions



To identify which transactions are holding locks, execute:
SHOW ENGINE INNODB STATUS;
Look under the `TRANSACTIONS` section for transactions that are in a `LOCK WAIT` state, or have active locks on the partition or table in question.

  1. Check Process List



Examine the current running processes for any that might be related to the locked partition:
SHOW FULL PROCESSLIST;
This can help identify any long-running queries or transactions that might have acquired a lock on the partition.

  1. Release Locks



If a specific process is identified as holding a lock unnecessarily, it might be safe to terminate it to release the lock, especially if it's stuck or not critical. Do this with caution:
KILL [process ID];
Replace `[process ID]` with the ID of the process you intend to stop.

  1. Check Disk Space



Ensure there's enough disk space on the server as a full disk can sometimes cause issues with unlocking partitions. Use the command line to check disk space:
df -h

  1. Check File System Permissions



Ensure the MySQL process has the necessary permissions to access and modify the partition files. This step requires accessing the server's command line and checking the permissions of the MySQL data directory and its contents.

  1. Restart MySQL Service



If all else fails and you've identified that there's no risk of data corruption or loss, you may try restarting the MySQL service. This can sometimes clear locks that have become stuck due to unforeseen issues. Use the command:
sudo systemctl restart mysql
Or, if not using systemd:
sudo service mysql restart

Please note, steps like killing processes or restarting the MySQL service can lead to data loss or corruption if not done with care. These actions should be taken only when you're confident they won't cause further issues.

Never debug

MySQL

manually again

Let Dr. Droid create custom investigation plans for your infrastructure.

Start Free POC (15-min setup) →
Automate Debugging for
MySQL
See how Dr. Droid creates investigation plans for your infrastructure.

MORE ISSUES

Made with ❤️ in Bangalore & San Francisco 🏢

Doctor Droid