XAMPP Error “MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly”

[Rex Maughan]

Hello everyone,

I'm encountering the "MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly" error in XAMPP and am in need of guidance to resolve it. Your support would be greatly appreciated.

[wisly.k]

XAMPP is a free PHP development environment designed for Windows, macOS, or Linux. This software package serves as a local server, replicating the functionality of a live server. It provides a convenient environment for hosting websites during the development and testing phases.


What Is the XAMPP Error “MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly”?

If you encounter the "MySQL shutdown unexpectedly" error in XAMPP, it indicates that the MySQL software in your environment has unexpectedly stopped or failed to function. This can disrupt your website's connection to its database, rendering WordPress inoperable. XAMPP provides guidance on addressing this issue within its events log. In the following section, we'll delve into various troubleshooting methods to resolve this error.





How to Fix the XAMPP Error “MySQL Shutdown Unexpectedly”


1. Run XAMPP Using Administrator Privileges

Frequently, XAMPP encounters errors when it is not run with administrator privileges. This is because its components may face difficulties functioning or configuring correctly at lower permission levels. If you're uncertain about your setup, it's advisable to close XAMPP, then restart it as an administrator. In Windows, locate the xampp-control file in the XAMPP installation folder, right-click on it, and choose "Run as administrator."





2. Restore your database backup

If restarting XAMPP with administrator privileges doesn’t resolve the database issue, the next step is to restore its backup.


XAMPP automatically generates backups for your environment’s software, accessible within the installation folder. By default, the MySQL backup files in XAMPP should be located under Local Disk > XAMPP > MySQL. Inside this directory, you'll find several folders, including data and backup.





The data folder comprises all the files utilized by your database, while the backup folder holds a recent copy of your MySQL.


Important: Before restoring the backup files, ensure that you stop the MySQL software using your XAMPP control panel. You can make a backup by clicking the Stop button next to the MySQL option on the main menu:


After stopping MySQL, navigate to XAMPP’s MySQL folder and perform the following steps to restore the MySQL backup:


1. Create a copy of the data folder.

2. Rename this new folder copy to something like data-old; consider it your backup.

3. Copy the contents of the backup folder into the data folder.


3. Change MYSQL port

One of the most common causes of the XAMPP error “MySQL shutdown unexpectedly” is another software using the port assigned to MySQL, typically 3306. To check this, use XAMPP’s Netstat module from the control panel, located just above the Shell tool:


Netstat, a command line tool, displays active connections on your network and the ports they're using. Review the port assignments to identify any conflicts, especially with MySQL (usually on port 3306).





If a port conflict caused the MySQL shutdown, restoring a backup or running MySQL with administrator privileges won’t resolve the issue. The only solution is to change the port that MySQL uses. Follow these steps:


1. Stop the MySQL service (as explained earlier).

2. Click on the Config button next to MySQL in XAMPP’s main menu.

3. Select the my.ini option.


This opens the configuration file for MySQL. In the my.ini file, locate the line that sets the port (usually 3306) and change it to a different available port (e.g., 3307). Save the file and restart the MySQL service.





The my.ini file contains the MySQL configuration settings. After clicking on it, XAMPP will open the file using your default text editor. Look for the line that reads "Port," specifying the port number that MySQL uses.


You can change this port number to an option that you know other programs aren’t using. In most cases, we recommend using 3307, which should be available. Save your changes and close the my.ini file. After making these changes, restart the MySQL service in XAMPP.