help restoring mysql database after an accident

[magicrjm]

Using MySQL version 4.1.10a-nt. Using Windows XP Pro.

For the last couple of years I've been using a MySQL database for a software application called "Gretag Macbeth." I was attempting to create a backup procedure for this database. On accident I installed the MySQL.exe again without really thinking that MySQL was already installed. When I went into Gretag to connect to my database the software basically said it could not find the database. When I went to c:\program files\mysql\mysql server 4.1\data I could still see a folder with the name of the database I was using. The folder has a bunch of *.frm files. So I attempted to do a Windows XP system restore from the day before. Still unable to connect to the database!

So does anyone know why when I reinstalled MySQL on accident it could no longer connect to mysql database?

Is there any way I can restore my database??

 

[ingresman]

1. copy all the .frm files somewhere before you so any other damage.
2. "the software basically said it could not find the database| - what did it actualy say ?
3. How did you instal Mysql.exe again ?

 

[magicrjm]

The software is not help in this. It just says "database unavailable." The Gretag software has a MySQL.exe on the software disk (v4.1). It installs the server and client. I just double clicked the exe and went through the prompts to install it. Then when I went back into Gretag to backup the database I got that error message. Really wish the MySQL exe warned me that there was a previous install and you will lose all your data if you continue if that is what really happend!!

My fear is, when I accidentally installed MySQL over the existing installation it recreated my ibdata1 file which I believe is the file that holds all the database data. I think the frm files are just pointers to the ibdata1 file. I've tried a windows xp system restore to the previous day, but that didn't work. I've also tried running a couple freeware file recovery software programs to see if I could restore an older version of the file. No luck there either. Looks like I'm really running out of options. I only have a backup from February.

 

[magicrjm]

The software is not help in this. It just says "database unavailable." The Gretag software has a MySQL.exe on the software disk (v4.1). It installs the server and client. I just double clicked the exe and went through the prompts to install it. Then when I went back into Gretag to backup the database I got that error message. Really wish the MySQL exe warned me that there was a previous install and you will lose all your data if you continue if that is what really happend!!

My fear is, when I accidentally installed MySQL over the existing installation it recreated my ibdata1 file which I believe is the file that holds all the database data. I think the frm files are just pointers to the ibdata1 file. I've tried a windows xp system restore to the previous day, but that didn't work. I've also tried running a couple freeware file recovery software programs to see if I could restore an older version of the file. No luck there either. Looks like I'm really running out of options. I only have a backup from February.

 

[ingresman]

sorry to be so long, i had no access to the a PC yesterday.
he ibdata1 is where INNODB puts it database data so you may well be correct. If you have trashed the ibdata1 I think you might have lost the data.
If you look at the *.frm files, are they small e.g. less that 2k in size ? If they are it looks like you data will be in ibdata1. If they are large the data will probabbly be okish.
Can you start a session to the database (e.g. from the mysql utility) which should give a better description of what is wrong.

 

[ingresman]

I wonder how this turned out ?

 

[magicrjm]

ingresman,

I still don't have a conclusion to this issue. I've contacted the manufacturers of the Gretag software (Xrite) to help troubleshoot. I'm still waiting to hear back from one of the techs. What one of the Xrite techs believes is that when MySQL was installed over itself it removed some configuration files in the program's ini file that no longer point the database to frm files. I'm not holding my breath that this is the fix, but I also have not ruled it out yet. I will post the conclusion once I have it confirmed. Right now, it looks like the database is not recoverable. Let me know if you have any other ideas.

Thanks.