Lost database files...

[Prince of Cats]

I have come across an issue with some missing database files. For some reason, I am getting an error - "Error: 1017 Can't find file: 'user.MYI' (errno: 2) (localhost)" - only for one of the three databases.

When I tried to repair the database, I found that all the .MYI files are missing. Every table is gone for that database, but the other two are untouched and unmolested.

What could cause that kind of spontaneous loss of files?

[Administrator]

I would like to know the domain name under which you have this database and the name of the database.

[Prince of Cats]

The domain is 'rocknrant.net' and the database is 'ranty_db'.

It is just curious that only one database was affected and that it does seem to be the files missing rather than a database problem.

[kev woodman]

Do you still have the frm files Prince? And if you do can you use REPAIR TABLE .. USE_FRM

[Prince of Cats]

Nope, I don't have the frm files. I keep telling myself that I will start keeping weekly back-ups, but I never seem to actually put that conviction into practice.

I love the idea of databases, but I never seem to get on with the practice; too many technical issues, no matter what host I use...

[Administrator]

Are you sure that your account is hosted with us ?

Nameservers of your domain name are pointing somewhere else and I don't see any information about your domain name in our billing system.

[Prince of Cats]

sorry... it is rocknrant.co.uk and the .net forwards to the co.uk...

Blonde moment...

[Prince of Cats]

Do you think there is anything that can be done, or should I accept that it is lost and just restart with a blank database?

[Administrator]

Some tables of this database are missing in all other backups we have. I am not sure how this is possible incase of rsync as rsync is known to make 100% data transfer.

Something must have gone from your end as Rsync can never fail to make complete backup.