MySQL error 68 EE_UNKNOWN_OPTION arises when the server or client is started with an unrecognized command-line or configuration option.
MySQL Error 68: EE_UNKNOWN_OPTION appears when MySQL encounters an unknown option such as --badflag. Remove or correct the flag in your my.cnf or startup command, then restart the service to resolve the error.
unknown option '--%s'. EE_UNKNOWN_OPTION was added in 8.0.13.
Error 68 with condition EE_UNKNOWN_OPTION is raised when MySQL finds an option it does not understand. From 8.0.13 forward, the server returns the message "unknown option '--%s'" and aborts startup or the client utility terminates.
The error is global, so it can occur in mysqld, mysql, mysqldump, or any program linked to the MySQL client library.
Fixing it quickly is vital because the service will not start or the command will not run until the flag is removed or corrected.
The primary trigger is a misspelled or deprecated option in the my.cnf file or on the command line.
An example is mistyping --max-connections instead of --max_connections.
The error also appears when an option belongs to a newer MySQL version than the one currently installed, or when a plugin that registered extra options has been removed.
Locate and correct the offending option by checking the error log, reviewing the my.cnf entries under [mysqld] or [client], and updating scripts that invoke MySQL utilities.
After removing or renaming the bad flag, restart the service or rerun the utility.
Always validate changes with mysqld --verbose --help to verify the option set is valid.
Server fails to start on upgrade - remove options made obsolete in the new version.
Docker container crash-loops - ensure custom entrypoint scripts do not add invalid flags.
Automated backup job stops - edit the cron job to replace legacy mysqldump switches.
Pin critical servers to a specific MySQL version and audit options during upgrades.
Keep a changelog of option deprecations from the release notes.
Use Galaxy’s config-lint integration to validate my.cnf against the running version before deployment. The IDE highlights unknown parameters in real time.
Error 1064 SQL syntax errors occur at runtime, while Error 68 occurs at startup or invocation time. Fix 1064 by rewriting SQL, fix 68 by correcting flags.
Error 1251 CLIENT_PLUGIN_AUTH refers to client authentication plugin mismatch, different from option errors but often seen after upgrades like EE_UNKNOWN_OPTION.
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No. Any MySQL utility that parses options, such as mysql or mysqldump, can throw the error.
Run mysqld --verbose --help or mysql --help to display supported switches.
If the option is inside a section that loads, MySQL validates it and will fail. Comment it out completely.
Yes. Galaxy’s editor warns about flags that do not exist in the connected server version, preventing deployment errors.
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