Error 1034 occurs when MySQL cannot read or write the table’s key (index) file because it is corrupted, locked, or located on a full or mis-configured filesystem.
MySQL Error 1034: ER_NOT_KEYFILE signals that the server can’t open the table’s key file because it is damaged or the disk holding tmpdir is full. Free space or move tmpdir, then run REPAIR TABLE or recreate the index to resolve the problem.
Incorrect key file for table '%s'; try to repair it
Error 1034, SQLSTATE HY000, appears as “Incorrect key file for table 'table_name'; try to repair it.” The server cannot access the physical key (index) file that belongs to the table.
The failure usually involves MyISAM .MYI files or on-disk temporary tables that MySQL writes during large joins, ALTER TABLE, or CREATE INDEX operations.
The message is triggered while reading or writing indexes: running SELECT with ORDER BY, INSERT that updates many secondary indexes, OPTIMIZE TABLE, or automatic creation of on-disk temp tables when a join or sort exceeds tmp_table_size.
It frequently surfaces on servers with small /tmp partitions, network filesystems, or sudden power loss that leaves the index file inconsistent.
Corrupted .MYI or .ibd files, full disk in tmpdir, missing permissions, mismatched file systems, or hardware faults break the link between MySQL and its key file, producing Error 1034.
If the temp directory sits on a partition mounted noexec or with different block size, MySQL may mis-handle the temporary key file and raise the same error.
Start by checking free space on the data and tmpdir partitions.
If space is low, free or extend it. Then run REPAIR TABLE for MyISAM or ALTER TABLE ... FORCE for InnoDB to rebuild indexes. As a last resort, restore the table from a clean backup.
Changing tmpdir to a larger, faster drive and increasing tmp_table_size and max_heap_table_size prevents repeat failures.
Select-heavy reports that spill to disk often fill /tmp.
Move tmpdir and raise limits to solve the issue.
Large ALTER TABLE operations may fail mid-way, leaving a bad .MYI file. Run ALTER TABLE ENGINE=InnoDB or recreate the table to rebuild an intact key file.
Monitor disk space, inode usage, and filesystem health. Keep regular table checks with CHECK TABLE and automated nightly REPAIR for MyISAM.
Prefer InnoDB, which stores indexes inside the tablespace and resists isolated key-file corruption.
Keep validated backups and use Galaxy Collections to version REPAIR scripts.
Errors 1023 (ER_NISAMCHK) and 126 (ER_INCORRECT_KEY_FILE) also indicate key-file corruption and are fixed with similar REPAIR or disk-space steps.
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Power loss, killed mysqld, or faulty storage leaves the MyISAM index file unreadable, so MySQL rejects it with Error 1034.
MySQL writes large temporary tables to tmpdir.
If that partition is full or mounted read-only, the key file cannot be created.
Filesystem permissions or strict SELinux policies prevent mysqld from opening the key file path.
Bad sectors or unclean shutdowns corrupt blocks where the key file resides, triggering the error during checksum.
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It is most common with MyISAM, but InnoDB can raise it when creating on-disk temporary tables or if .ibd files are inaccessible.
REPAIR TABLE rebuilds indexes and normally preserves rows. Corrupted parts may be lost, so back up the .MYD file first.
Yes. InnoDB keeps indexes inside the tablespace, reducing isolated key-file corruption, and offers crash recovery.
Galaxy’s AI copilot suggests the correct REPAIR or ALTER statements and lets teams share vetted fixes in Collections, minimizing repeat outages.
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