MySQL cannot open or create a table because its storage engine plugin is not loaded into the server.
ER_STORAGE_ENGINE_NOT_LOADED means MySQL could not load the storage engine needed for the referenced table. Verify the plugin file exists, enable it with plugin_load or INSTALL PLUGIN, or rebuild MySQL with the engine enabled to restore table access.
ER_STORAGE_ENGINE_NOT_LOADED
MySQL raises this error when a SQL statement references a table that uses a storage engine the server has not loaded. The engine might be disabled, missing, or unable to initialize, so MySQL refuses to access the table.
The failure blocks reads, writes, and DDL against the table, disrupting applications and migrations until the engine is available or the table is converted to another engine.
The engine plugin was not compiled into mysqld and its shared object file is absent from the plugin directory.
my.cnf disables the engine with skip-innodb or similar, preventing the server from loading it at startup.
The plugin exists but dependency libraries are missing or the server user lacks permission to load the file, so initialization fails.
An upgrade removed the engine, yet existing table definitions still reference it, triggering the error on first access.
Identify the required engine with SHOW TABLE STATUS or information_schema.tables. Then either enable that engine or convert the table to InnoDB or another available engine.
For plugin engines copy the .so file to the plugin directory, set plugin_load in my.cnf, and restart mysqld. Alternatively run INSTALL PLUGIN at runtime if the server allows dynamic loading.
If you no longer need the custom engine, use ALTER TABLE tbl ENGINE=InnoDB to migrate data to a supported engine.
After disabling InnoDB, legacy tables still use InnoDB. Re-enable InnoDB by removing skip-innodb and restarting the server.
Tokudb plugin removed during upgrade. Reinstall the Tokudb package, copy ha_tokudb.so back to the plugin directory, and run INSTALL PLUGIN tokudb.
Third-party engine file present but incompatible with new MySQL version. Obtain the correct build or convert tables to InnoDB.
Keep a manifest of required storage engines and validate them during deployment using SHOW ENGINES.
Automate plugin installation in configuration management to ensure engines load after upgrades or failover events.
Standardize on InnoDB unless a special engine is mandatory, reducing plugin dependencies.
ER_UNKNOWN_STORAGE_ENGINE appears when the engine name is unknown to MySQL, often due to typos.
ER_CANT_OPEN_FILE signals file-system issues rather than missing engines but can be confused with plugin errors.
The engine’s shared object file (.so) is not present in the plugin directory.
Configuration options such as skip-innodb stop the server from loading the engine.
Dependency libraries are missing or the plugin binary is built for another MySQL version, so initialization aborts.
Tables still reference an engine removed from the upgraded server build.
MySQL does not recognize the engine name. Often a spelling mistake or unsupported engine.
Permission issue that prevents table access, not related to storage engines but appears in similar contexts.
File-system problem opening the table files. Different root cause but may surface during failed table access.
Yes, use INSTALL PLUGIN if the server supports dynamic plugin loading and the .so file is compatible.
In most cases yes, but review engine-specific features like compression or indexing that may behave differently.
Query information_schema.tables where engine = 'tokudb' or the missing engine name to list affected tables.
Galaxy’s schema-aware AI flags references to unsupported engines during query review and suggests conversions, reducing runtime errors in production.
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