MySQL cannot modify the operating-system permissions of a required file, typically because the database user lacks OS privileges, the path is wrong, or the filesystem is read-only.
MySQL Error 32: EE_CHANGE_PERMISSIONS means the server failed to change a file’s permissions at the OS level. Grant correct ownership (chown mysql:mysql) or chmod 660 on the file path, then restart or retry the operation to resolve the issue.
Cannot change permissions of the file '%s' (OS errno %d - %s)
This global MySQL error is raised when the server calls the OS chmod API and receives a non-zero errno. MySQL reports the exact path, numeric errno, and text description so administrators can pinpoint which file failed and why.
The error can occur during CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, LOAD DATA, log rotation, or any task that changes metadata files such as .ibd, .frm, or redo logs.
Because the server cannot secure the correct permissions, it halts the statement to protect data integrity.
It surfaces immediately after an internal chmod or chown call fails.
Common moments include moving tables between tablespaces, initializing a new data directory, restoring backups, or rotating binary logs.
On Linux the accompanying OS errno values 1 (Operation not permitted), 2 (No such file or directory), or 30 (Read-only file system) quickly reveal the root cause.
Ignoring the error leaves tables half-created, backups unfinished, and log rotation stuck, risking startup failures and data loss. Rapid remediation restores normal DDL and DML flow and preserves transactional consistency.
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The MySQL service account (often mysql) does not own the target file or directory, causing chmod to fail with errno 1.
The data directory resides on a mounted volume flagged ro after an unclean shutdown or hardware issue, producing errno 30.
Mandatory access-control policies deny permission changes even when Unix ACLs appear correct.
An outdated .frm points to a file that was deleted, leading to errno 2 during a metadata change.
The partition is full or out of inodes, preventing creation of a temp file whose permissions then cannot be set.
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Restart alone rarely helps because the underlying OS permission problem persists. Fix ownership, mode, or filesystem state first, then restart if needed.
No. The server aborts the DDL or backup process, leaving data inconsistent. Address the cause immediately.
All maintained versions (5.6, 5.7, 8.0, 8.1) can emit the error because it is mapped from the generic EE_ code set.
Galaxy surfaces full server error output in its results pane, making the failing path obvious, and lets teams annotate the fix so others avoid repeating the mistake.
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