Troubleshooting Common Database Errors

Fixing Common MySQL Database Errors

Database errors can cause your website to display error messages or fail to load. This guide helps you identify and resolve the most common database issues.

Error: "Error Establishing Database Connection"

This is the most common database error, especially in WordPress. It means your website cannot connect to its database.

Causes and Solutions:

1. Incorrect Database Credentials

• Check your wp-config.php (WordPress) or configuration file
• Verify DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, and DB_HOST are correct
• Remember: cPanel prefixes your username (e.g., cpaneluser_dbname)

2. Database User Lacks Permissions

1. Log into cPanel → MySQL Databases
2. Scroll to "Add User to Database"
3. Select your user and database
4. Grant "ALL PRIVILEGES"
5. Click "Make Changes"

3. Database Server is Down

• Wait a few minutes and try again
• Check Faciotech status page for any outages
• Contact support if issue persists

4. Corrupted Database

• Use phpMyAdmin to repair tables (see repair section below)
• Restore from a recent backup

Error: "Table 'tablename' doesn't exist"

This error indicates a missing database table.

Solutions:

• Restore from backup - If you have a backup containing the missing table
• Reinstall application - For WordPress, deactivate/reactivate the plugin that needs the table
• Run database repair - Some applications have built-in repair tools

Error: "MySQL Server Has Gone Away"

This usually means the connection to MySQL timed out.

Causes:

• Query taking too long to execute
• Packet size too large
• Server timeout settings

Solutions:

• Optimize slow database queries
• Reduce the size of data being transferred
• Contact support to check server configuration

Error: "Too Many Connections"

The database has reached its connection limit.

Solutions:

• Wait and retry - Connections may free up shortly
• Check for runaway processes - A script may be opening connections without closing them
• Optimize connection usage - Use persistent connections properly
• Review plugins/scripts - Some plugins create excessive database connections

Error: "Access Denied for User"

The database user credentials are wrong or the user lacks permissions.

Solutions:

1. Reset the database user's password in cPanel → MySQL Databases
2. Update the password in your application's configuration file
3. Ensure the user is assigned to the correct database with proper privileges

Error: "Database Disk Quota Exceeded"

Your database has grown too large for your hosting plan.

Solutions:

• Clean up data - Delete old revisions, spam comments, logs
• Optimize tables - Use phpMyAdmin to optimize tables (reduces overhead)
• Remove unused plugins - Delete tables from uninstalled plugins
• Upgrade hosting - Consider a higher plan if you need more space

Repairing Corrupted Tables

If your database tables are corrupted:

Method 1: phpMyAdmin

1. Open phpMyAdmin in cPanel
2. Select your database
3. Check the boxes next to tables needing repair (or "Check all")
4. From the dropdown at the bottom, select Repair table
5. Click Go

Method 2: WordPress Built-in Repair

1. Add this line to wp-config.php: define('WP_ALLOW_REPAIR', true);
2. Visit: yoursite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php
3. Click "Repair Database" or "Repair and Optimize Database"
4. Important: Remove the line from wp-config.php when done

Optimizing Database Performance

Prevent issues by keeping your database healthy:

Regular Optimization

1. In phpMyAdmin, select your database
2. Check all tables
3. Select Optimize table from the dropdown
4. Run this monthly or after major changes

WordPress Optimization Plugins

• WP-Optimize - Clean and optimize database
• Advanced Database Cleaner - Remove orphaned data
• WP-Sweep - Clean up unused data

Checking Database Size

To see how much space your database uses:

1. Open phpMyAdmin
2. Click on your database name
3. Look at the Size column for each table
4. The total is shown at the bottom of the table list

When to Contact Support

Contact Faciotech support if:

• You've tried the above solutions without success
• The error mentions server-side issues
• You see "Internal Server Error" alongside database errors
• Multiple websites are affected simultaneously
• You need help restoring from a backup

Submit a Support Ticket - Include the exact error message, when it started, and any recent changes you made.