Error
Error Code:
48
MySQL Error 48: Defaults Handling Failure
Description
Error 48, 'Fatal error in defaults handling. Program aborted!', indicates that a MySQL client application or server process encountered a critical issue while attempting to read or parse its configuration (defaults) files. This typically occurs during startup, preventing the program from initializing properly and causing it to terminate unexpectedly.
Error Message
Fatal error in defaults handling. Program aborted!
Known Causes
3 known causesInvalid Configuration Syntax
The `my.cnf` or `my.ini` file contains syntax errors, malformed directives, or unsupported options, preventing MySQL from parsing its default settings.
Incorrect File Permissions
The user or process attempting to start MySQL lacks the necessary read permissions for the configuration file or its containing directory, making it inaccessible.
Missing or Inaccessible File
The expected MySQL configuration file cannot be found at its default or specified location, or the path to it is incorrect.
Solutions
3 solutions available1. Check MySQL Configuration File Permissions easy
Ensure the MySQL configuration file has the correct read permissions for the MySQL user.
1
Identify the location of your MySQL configuration file (e.g., my.cnf or my.ini). Common locations include /etc/mysql/my.cnf, /etc/my.cnf, or within the MySQL installation directory.
2
Determine the user that the MySQL server runs as. This is often 'mysql'. You can check this by looking at the process list (`ps aux | grep mysqld`) or in the systemd service file.
ps aux | grep mysqld3
Verify the read permissions of the configuration file. The MySQL user needs read access.
ls -l /path/to/your/my.cnf4
If permissions are incorrect, change them to allow the MySQL user to read the file. Replace `/path/to/your/my.cnf` with your actual file path and `mysql` with the correct user if different.
sudo chown mysql:mysql /path/to/your/my.cnf
sudo chmod 644 /path/to/your/my.cnf5
Restart the MySQL service.
sudo systemctl restart mysql2. Validate MySQL Configuration File Syntax medium
Correct any syntax errors or invalid parameters within the MySQL configuration file.
1
Locate your MySQL configuration file (e.g., my.cnf or my.ini).
2
Carefully review the file for any typos, incorrect parameter names, or improperly formatted values. Pay close attention to sections like [mysqld], [client], and [mysql].
3
Use the `mysqld --validate-config` command to check for syntax errors. Replace `/path/to/your/my.cnf` with your actual file path. If you have multiple configuration files, you might need to specify them in order.
mysqld --validate-config --defaults-file=/path/to/your/my.cnf4
If the validation command reports errors, carefully correct them in the configuration file. Common issues include incorrect character casing for parameters, missing values, or invalid characters.
5
Restart the MySQL service after making corrections.
sudo systemctl restart mysql3. Reinstall MySQL Server advanced
A clean reinstallation can resolve issues with corrupted configuration or installation files.
1
Back up your MySQL data. This is crucial. Use `mysqldump` to export all databases.
mysqldump --all-databases --single-transaction --flush-logs --master-data=2 -u root -p > full_backup.sql2
Stop the MySQL service.
sudo systemctl stop mysql3
Uninstall the MySQL server package. The command may vary depending on your operating system and package manager (e.g., apt, yum, dnf).
sudo apt-get remove --purge mysql-server mysql-client mysql-common
# Or for RHEL/CentOS/Fedora:
sudo yum remove mysql-server mysql-client
sudo dnf remove mysql-server mysql-client4
Remove any remaining MySQL configuration files and data directories. Be extremely careful with this step as it will delete all data.
sudo rm -rf /etc/mysql
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/mysql5
Reinstall MySQL server. Use the same package manager commands as before, but for installation.
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mysql-server
# Or for RHEL/CentOS/Fedora:
sudo yum install mysql-server
sudo dnf install mysql-server6
After installation, run the secure installation script if available (e.g., `mysql_secure_installation`).
sudo mysql_secure_installation7
Restore your MySQL data from the backup.
mysql -u root -p < full_backup.sql