[RESOLVED] URGENT: Mysql backup from files?

[jjfletch]

The hard drive on our dedicated server has "gone bad" (to use the provider's terminology). Though they were able to get our server up and running to the point where we have ssh & ftp capabilities, they keep saying "bad sectors" are preventing them from bringing the whole thing up.

I've been scping files over to a temporary location like a madwoman, but since I can't use mysqldump to backup databases, I need to know if there's another way for me to save our database files?

Anyone have any ideas?

[devinemke]

the actual binary files for a mySQL installation are located in /path/to/mysql/data/ and each database will have it's own subdirectory, each table will have 3 files:
tablename.frm
tablename.MYD
tablename.MYI

[jjfletch]

Thanks, I did find those files, but how do I restore from them? If I just copy those files into the proper directory on the temporary server, it doesn't read any of the fields. Do you know how?

[nemonoman]

In your mysql directory are directories for each of your databases.

Create a directory for MyDyingServerDatabase

In that directory place:
tablename.frm
tablename.MYD
tablename.MYI

all the .frm, .MYD and *.MYI files from the db directory on the dying server.

This will most likely work OK.

[jjfletch]

I thought that's all I needed to do, but that results in:

Didn't find any fields in table 'tablename';

And 'describe table' results in:

ERROR 1033: Incorrect information in file: './table/tablename.frm'

Am I missing a step?: