OS Manuals

/usr/bin/myisamchk

The MariaDB open source relational database

From mariadb-13.1 13.1.1-r2 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running myisamchk --help (exit 0). permalink

Also provided by 53 other package versions
  -a, --analyze       Analyze distribution of keys. Will make some joins in
                      MySQL faster. You can check the calculated distribution.
  -b, --block-search=#
                      No help available.
  -B, --backup        Make a backup of the .MYD file as 'filename-time.BAK'.
  --character-sets-dir=name
                      Directory where character sets are.
  -c, --check         Check table for errors.
  -C, --check-only-changed
                      Check only tables that have changed since last check. It
                      also applies to other requested actions (e.g. --analyze
                      will be ignored if the table is already analyzed).
  --correct-checksum  Correct checksum information for table.
  --create-missing-keys
                      Create missing keys. This assumes that the data file is
                      correct and that the number of rows stored in the index
                      file is correct. Enables --quick
  -d, --description   Prints some information about table.
  -D, --data-file-length=#
                      Max length of data file (when recreating data-file when
                      it's full).
  -e, --extend-check  If used when checking a table, ensure that the table is
                      100 percent consistent, which will take a long time. If
                      used when repairing a table, try to recover every
                      possible row from the data file. Normally this will also
                      find a lot of garbage rows; Don't use this option with
                      repair if you are not totally desperate.
  -F, --fast          Check only tables that haven't been closed properly. It
                      also applies to other requested actions (e.g. --analyze
                      will be ignored if the table is already analyzed).
  -f, --force         Restart with -r if there are any errors in the table.
                      States will be updated as with --update-state.
  -H, --HELP          Display this help and exit.
  -?, --help          Display this help and exit.
  -i, --information   Print statistics information about table that is checked.
  -k, --keys-used=#   Tell MyISAM to update only some specific keys. # is a bit
                      mask of which keys to use. This can be used to get faster
                      inserts. See also keys-active
  --keys-active=name  Treat all not listed keys as disabled. If used with
                      repair, the keys will be disabled permanently. The
                      argument is a list of key numbers, starting from 1,
                      separated by ','. keys-active and keys-used are two ways
                      to do the same thing
  --max-record-length=#
                      Skip rows bigger than this if myisamchk can't allocate
                      memory to hold it
  -m, --medium-check  Faster than extend-check, but only finds 99.99% of all
                      errors. Should be good enough for most cases.
  -q, --quick         Faster repair by not modifying the data file.
  -T, --read-only     Don't mark table as checked.
  -r, --recover       Can fix almost anything except unique keys that aren't
                      unique.
  -p, --parallel-recover
                      Same as '-r' but creates all the keys in parallel.
  -o, --safe-recover  Uses old recovery method; Slower than '-r' but can handle
                      a couple of cases where '-r' reports that it can't fix
                      the data file.
  -n, --sort-recover  Force recovering with sorting even if the temporary file
                      was very big.
  -A, --set-auto-increment[=#]
                      Force auto_increment to start at this or higher value. If
                      no value is given, then sets the next auto_increment
                      value to the highest used value for the auto key + 1.
  --set-collation=name
                      Change the collation used by the index
  -s, --silent        Only print errors. One can use two -s to make myisamchk
                      very silent.
  -S, --sort-index    Sort index blocks. This speeds up 'read-next' in
                      applications.
  -R, --sort-records=#
                      Sort records according to an index. This makes your data
                      much more localized and may speed up things. (It may be
                      VERY slow to do a sort the first time!)
  -t, --tmpdir=name   Path for temporary files.
  -U, --update-state  Mark tables as crashed if any errors were found.
  -u, --unpack        Unpack file packed with myisampack.
  -v, --verbose       Print more information. This can be used with
                      --description and --check. Use many -v for more
                      verbosity!
  -V, --version       Print version and exit.
  -w, --wait          Wait if table is locked.
  --key-buffer-size=#
  --key-cache-block-size=#
  --myisam-block-size=#
  --read-buffer-size=#
  --write-buffer-size=#
  --sort-buffer-size=#
                      Deprecated. myisam_sort_buffer_size alias is being used
  --myisam-sort-buffer-size=#
                      Alias of sort_buffer_size parameter
  --sort-key-blocks=#
  --decode-bits=#
  --ft-min-word-len=#
  --ft-max-word-len=#
  --ft-stopword-file=name
                      Use stopwords from this file instead of built-in list.
  --stats-method=name Specifies how index statistics collection code should
                      treat NULLs. Possible values of name are "nulls_unequal"
                      (default behavior for MySQL 4.1/5.0), "nulls_equal"
                      (emulate 4.0 behavior), and "nulls_ignored".
Options (49)
OptionDescriptionSource
-a, --analyzeAnalyze distribution of keys.help
-b, --block-search #No help available.help
-B, --backupMake a backup of the .MYD file as 'filename-time.BAK'.help
--character-sets-dir nameDirectory where character sets are.help
-c, --checkCheck table for errors.help
-C, --check-only-changedCheck only tables that have changed since last check.help
--correct-checksumCorrect checksum information for table.help
--create-missing-keysCreate missing keys.help
-d, --descriptionPrints some information about table.help
-D, --data-file-length #Max length of data file (when recreating data-file when it's full).help
-e, --extend-checkIf used when checking a table, ensure that the table is 100 percent consistent, which will take a long time.help
-F, --fastCheck only tables that haven't been closed properly.help
-f, --forceRestart with -r if there are any errors in the table.help
-H, --HELPDisplay this help and exit.help
-?, --helpDisplay this help and exit.help
-i, --informationPrint statistics information about table that is checked.help
-k, --keys-used #Tell MyISAM to update only some specific keys.help
--keys-active nameTreat all not listed keys as disabled.help
--max-record-length #Skip rows bigger than this if myisamchk can't allocate memory to hold ithelp
-m, --medium-checkFaster than extend-check, but only finds 99.99% of all errors.help
-q, --quickFaster repair by not modifying the data file.help
-T, --read-onlyDon't mark table as checked.help
-r, --recoverCan fix almost anything except unique keys that aren't unique.help
-p, --parallel-recoverSame as '-r' but creates all the keys in parallel.help
-o, --safe-recoverUses old recovery method;help
-n, --sort-recoverForce recovering with sorting even if the temporary file was very big.help
-A, --set-auto-increment #Force auto_increment to start at this or higher value.help
--set-collation nameChange the collation used by the indexhelp
-s, --silentOnly print errors.help
-S, --sort-indexSort index blocks.help
-R, --sort-records #Sort records according to an index.help
-t, --tmpdir namePath for temporary files.help
-U, --update-stateMark tables as crashed if any errors were found.help
-u, --unpackUnpack file packed with myisampack.help
-v, --verbosePrint more information.help
-V, --versionPrint version and exit.help
-w, --waitWait if table is locked.help
--key-buffer-size #help
--key-cache-block-size #help
--myisam-block-size #help
--read-buffer-size #help
--write-buffer-size #help
--sort-buffer-size #Deprecated.help
--myisam-sort-buffer-size #Alias of sort_buffer_size parameterhelp
--sort-key-blocks #help
--decode-bits #help
--ft-min-word-len #help
--ft-max-word-len #help
--ft-stopword-file nameUse stopwords from this file instead of built-in list.help

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.