topic database corruption in Alfresco Archive

database corruption

seacdwt — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 01:21:00 GMT

Our alfresco server is failing to start. I think I've tracked it down to a corrupted db file in "\MySQL Datafiles\ibdata1". There seems to be something wrong with this file at the OS level as I can not copy/move/backup the file. When I do, Windows gives some useless obscure error message. "Can no

Re: database corruption

_sax — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:31:39 GMT

I don't know about your database, but if it is indeed corrupted, than you're left with the actual files in Alfresco\alf_data. That path maybe somewhere else, if your administrator changed that location.
See http://forums1.man.alfresco.com/en/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=25158 for details (or search for the file alfresco-global.properties).
By searching for files within a certain range of time, you'll be able to get to those, who are new. The names and filetypes are not obvious, though. Alfresco, as other systems that use this combination of filesystem/database storage, is storing any information including file names and file types in the database.
Even if the database would work, you'd probably be only half there, because of the unknown admin password that left your company with the admin. If you can come this far, here would be a solution for this: http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Security_and_Authentication#How_to_reset_the_admin_password
(But all in all, it doesn't sound like a smart HR decision)

Re: database corruption

mrogers — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 10:13:21 GMT

Why are you trying to back up the raw MySql data files? As opposed to using mysqldump to export the data.

Does your instance of MySql actually work? Why do you think its "corrupted", is there some error message from mysql, if so that message may help. I'm not surprised if you can't copy mysql's data files if mysql is running. Or equally if the data has become corrupted if its being abused at the O.S. level.

Re: database corruption

seacdwt — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:48:28 GMT

I'm not really trying to "backup" the database. The database is already corrupted and MySQL fails to start. I see "The MySQL service hung on starting." in the event viewer.

I think there is a problem with the low level file system, maybe a disk failure. I was only trying to copy the ibdata1 file to try to diagnose the file system issue.

My only goal at this point is to try to recover as many of the documents as possible, with or without the metadata. ( preferably with ) I'm wondering if there is a "recovery" mode that will rebuild the MySQL db enough to start the server and extract the documents.

I have been able to manually open some of the docs by navigating the "\Alfresco\alf_data\contentstore" directory. This may work as a last resort but it's less that optimal as all the files have cryptic filenames with .bin extensions.

We have been through a rather extensive reorg. There wasn't much thought given to IT support. I'm just trying to salvage what I can. Non of the info on this server is business critical, but I'm tying to avoid a complete loss.

dave

Re: database corruption

gnyce — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:36:21 GMT

No offense, but you really need to be looking at a MySQL forum, not alfresco, for this sort of thing. I believe there would be some options/tools for helping to rebuild/recover mysql dbs, but I would not do that search here - Alfresco uses mysql, so if you can get the db fixed up - whatever the issue - then you should have no problem with getting data out of Alfresco. Yes, files are stored in the alf_data\contentstore under a date structure… year\month\day\hour\minute\ structure, with a .bin extension, but unencrypted/unchanged otherwise. Be aware that SWF (flash previews) and PNG (thumbnails) are also stored in this structure.

Re: database corruption

stephano — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 07:13:15 GMT

It is usefull software for copy, delete, long path files.
Please try "Long Path Tool" program.