Computer I was running a server on died. The HD works, but has problems booting. Basically it complains that it's in the wrong computer or something. I'm pretty sure all the data's ok.

So I can't run MySQL because I can't boot into the OS that was previously running on there. Is there somewhere - like in /var where the database is stored that I could just copy to another HD and then have my database contents?

Thanks!

Hi DJOtaku,

Im no expert but on my setup the databases are located in /var/lib/mysql/
If you get no joy there you can always try to look in the /etc/my.cnf and find the datadir entry, this will tell you where they are located.

If you can't access the drive via the OS then you will have to either employ the services of a data recovery company or if you have a second harddrive then you can install a new OS on that and mount your other drive later. This is the set-up I use, the primary drive holds the OS and programs etc, the second is set up as /home which contains all my files.

Hope this is of some help.

Regards
Garry

Provided that the hardware works, you can put in a bootable Linux disc (like the standard Ubuntu CD), and use that to get the computer running so that you can transfer files from it.

KrytenUK's advice worked! (I also found the same advice on other websites)

I just went to /var/db/mysql and copied that. Then I dropped it into the new server and all I had to do was recreate the user names and grant them privileges on the tables

you can copy the db files over to a new machine .I have done this with "lamp" on fedora and "wamp" on xp and the db reads just fine .