/tmp filling up when running repair on database

[encryption]

Hello

I have a client with a 1 gb MySQL DB and in the midst of running a repair on her database, the page just went blank (white) and the /tmp partition filled up, grinding a couple of other sites on server to a standstill.

Problem is, when it timed out, it was fixing a table on her database which is now locked saying "in use" and I'm not sure I want to run another "repair" on it for the fear of affecting other clients or further ruining this table/database.

Any guidance on how I can increase the size of the /tmp folder or what would be a potential fix.

FYI when I click on the table in question, I see this error

#1016 - Can't open file: 'post.MYI' (errno: 144)

Will appreciate any help you can provide.

[outlaw web]

I would advise against trying to increase the size of the /temp partition.

you'd be better to try deleting any or all unused files out of it to gain space.

try this:

cd /tmp | ls -la -S2 | more
this will tell you what's eating up the space. the largest of which will be at the top.

or

cd /tmp
ls -l

Or, sort by size:
ls -l | sort -n +4


then it's a process of deleting the unnecessary files thst are clogging up your /temp folder.


also the 1016 - Can't open file: 'post.MYI' (errno: 144) error will be caused most likely because the database user does not have write access to the /tmp directory on that server

OWM

[encryption]

Thanks for the response. The thing is the /tmp folder gets full trying to run the REPAIR command via phpmyadmin and goes back to being empty as soon as the process is terminated. Hence I asked if I could increase the size of the /tmp folder, maybe that would help executing the db REPAIR effectively.

[outlaw web]

this may help.

http://www.webhostgear.com/34.html


that's one hell of a size of an sql db.
OWM

[encryption]

Thanks for that chief, yea its a 1 gb database.

[outlaw web]

hmm....

there is another option that would be more server friendly.

get the client to download and repair the database locally on their pc....then re upload it once they've repaired it.

OWM

[encryption]

The screw up with that is the doing the repair the first time and getting the whitepage resulted in the posts table (which is about 750 mb) to get locked. phpmyadmin shows its "in use". So performing a backup results in getting a DB that's only 100 something MB.

[lloyd_tennison]

Just reassign the temp file for that session to a different partition when you are doing the repair.

TMPDIR=/home/tmp; export TMPDIR ;

Most people have lots of room in home.