Fixing “The MySQL service could not be started.” After Changing datadir Error

by | Aug 26, 2025 | Blog, MySQL

Fixing “The MySQL service could not be started.” After Changing datadir

Table of contents

Summary

This article addresses the common error message “The MySQL service could not be started,” which often occurs when MySQL fails to start, particularly after changing the datadir location. The guide provides step-by-step troubleshooting.

Understanding the “MySQL Service Could Not Be Started” Error

If you encounter this error, it typically means that MySQL failed during startup, but Windows was unable to pinpoint the cause. In my case, this occurred after I changed the default datadir location.

Error:
The MySQL service could not be started.
The service did not report an error.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Test MySQL Without Starting the Service

The first step is to run mysqld manually to see more detailed errors. This often reveals the actual root cause, which would otherwise be hidden when starting via the Windows service.

Run the following from the command prompt. There is a generic path to the my.ini file, which will need to be changed.

C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 8.0\bin>mysqld --defaults-file="C:\new\path\my.ini" --console

This time, I received a much more helpful message:

[ERROR] [MY-010095] [Server] Failed to access directory for --secure-file-priv. Please make sure that directory exists and is accessible by MySQL Server. Supplied value : C:/ProgramData/MySQL/MySQL Server 8.0/Uploads

Root Cause

The error indicates that the my.ini file still references the default value for secure-file-priv:

secure-file-priv = "C:/ProgramData/MySQL/MySQL Server 8.0/Uploads"

This directive restricts file import/export operations (like LOAD DATA INFILE or SELECT INTO OUTFILE) to a specific directory. If that folder doesn’t exist, MySQL refuses to start.

Fix the Configuration

Option 1: Create the Missing Folder

Option 2: Update my.ini to the Correct Path

If you’re moving MySQL data to a new location, it’s best to update the path.

1. Run Notepad as Administrator and open the my.ini file.

2. Find and update the line:

secure-file-priv="C:/new/path/Uploads"

3. Save the file and close Notepad.

Try starting the MySQL service again. If all goes well, MySQL should start without any issues.

Conclusion

By following these troubleshooting steps and correctly configuring the secure-file-priv directive, you can effectively resolve the error where “The MySQL service could not be started.” This ensures your MySQL server is up and running smoothly, especially after making changes to the datadir location.

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