Move a MariaDB data directory only while the server is stopped: copy the complete directory with its ownership, permissions, timestamps, links, and security attributes intact; point the running service at the copy; then update systemd and, where enabled, AppArmor or SELinux. Start MariaDB, verify SELECT @@datadir;, and test reads and writes before deleting the original directory.
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What the move changes
MariaDB’s datadir is the directory where the server stores its database files, system tables, InnoDB files, Aria files, logs that are configured there, and other persistent state. The variable is described in the MariaDB Server System Variables reference. Changing one configuration line is not enough: the service manager and mandatory-access-control policy can still prevent mariadbd from reaching the new path.
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Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe safest sequence is:
- Record the effective configuration and current service state.
- Stop MariaDB and prove that no server process still has the old files open.
- Prepare and mount the destination filesystem.
- Copy the entire old data directory while preserving metadata.
- Set ownership and parent-directory permissions for the MariaDB service account.
- Change the datadir setting that the service actually reads.
- Adjust systemd and AppArmor or SELinux rules as applicable.
- Start, validate, test, and keep a rollback path until the new location is proven.
Plan the destination before touching MariaDB
Choose a real filesystem, not an unmounted directory
If the new path is intended to be another disk or a network-backed volume, make sure it is mounted before MariaDB starts. A mount that is absent at boot can leave MariaDB writing to an ordinary empty directory on the root filesystem, which looks like data loss even though the original volume is merely unavailable. Add the mount to /etc/fstab according to your platform’s normal practice, test it with mount -a, and confirm the expected filesystem with findmnt /new/path or df -hT /new/path.
Check free space, inode availability, and filesystem health. The copy must hold every file in the existing datadir, not only application schemas. Leave room for temporary growth, redo or undo files, binary logs, and backups.
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Identify the service account and unit
Packaged Linux installations normally use mariadb.service, but a tarball or custom installation may use a different unit or a manually launched process. Inspect the unit and its runtime user:
systemctl status mariadb
systemctl cat mariadb
systemctl show mariadb -p User -p Group -p ExecStart
The account is commonly named mysql or mariadb. Use the value shown by the unit rather than assuming a name. If the unit does not exist, locate the process and its startup method before changing files.
Record the current effective datadir and configuration
Run these checks while MariaDB is still healthy. Save the output with your change records.
mariadb -NBe 'SELECT @@datadir;'
my_print_defaults --mysqld
mariadbd --verbose --help 2>/dev/null | less
systemctl status mariadb
SELECT @@datadir; shows the path used by the running server, including a trailing slash on many installations. my_print_defaults --mysqld displays options assembled from the option files available to that client environment. The verbose server help output lists compiled-in defaults and option-file locations; review it together with systemctl cat mariadb so you edit a file that the service really reads.
Also record enabled storage engines, replication or Galera configuration, socket and PID locations, and any separately configured binary-log or relay-log directories. Those paths do not automatically move merely because datadir changes. If they are outside the datadir, decide separately whether they should remain where they are or be migrated in a controlled change.
Capture a file listing and ownership sample:
sudo du -sh /old/path
sudo find /old/path -maxdepth 2 -printf '%M %u:%g %pn' | head -100
sudo findmnt /old/path
Stop MariaDB and verify that it is really stopped
Use the service manager first; do not copy live InnoDB or Aria files while the server is changing them.
sudo systemctl stop mariadb
sudo systemctl is-active mariadb
pgrep -a mariadbd
systemctl is-active should report inactive, and pgrep should return no MariaDB server process. If a process remains, investigate before proceeding. On systems with the relevant tools installed, check open files directly:
sudo lsof +D /old/path
sudo fuser -vm /old/path
A second mariadbd process using the same Aria or InnoDB files can produce lock errors or corrupt the migration. Stop a stray process using its own documented unit or startup mechanism; do not simply delete its PID file.
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Copy the complete directory with metadata intact
Prepare and mount the destination
sudo install -d -m 0750 /new/path
sudo mount /dev/your-volume /new/path
sudo findmnt /new/path
Create the final directory on the mounted filesystem, then copy into that directory. Do not accidentally copy into a mount point that was not mounted, or you may fill the root filesystem and later hide the copied files when the volume is mounted.
Use an archive-preserving copy
On Linux, rsync is convenient because it can preserve ownership, modes, timestamps, symbolic links, hard links, ACLs, and extended attributes:
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If rsync is unavailable, an archive-preserving local copy is an alternative:
sudo cp -a /old/path/. /new/path/For a very large directory, you can run an initial copy while MariaDB is online, but that is only a preliminary transfer. Stop MariaDB and run a final synchronization while it is offline; otherwise files can be inconsistent. The procedure remains safest when the complete copy is made after shutdown.
Compare the source and destination
sudo rsync -aHAXn --delete --numeric-ids /old/path/ /new/path/
sudo du -sh /old/path /new/path
sudo find /new/path -maxdepth 1 -printf '%M %u:%g %pn'
A dry-run with no listed changes is a useful check, but it is not a database consistency test. Confirm that the destination contains the mysql system schema and all application schema directories. Missing system tables commonly lead to privilege-table errors at startup.
Set ownership and traversal permissions
Set the destination to the account and group used by the service. Substitute the values from systemctl show:
sudo chown -R mysql:mysql /new/path
sudo chmod 0750 /new/path
Do not blindly run the example if your unit uses another account. Preserve special file modes and any intentional per-file ownership from the source; a recursive chown is appropriate only when the old datadir was consistently owned by the service account and your policy permits resetting it.
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Every parent directory must be searchable by the service account. For example, a path such as /srv/storage/mariadb requires execute permission on /srv, /srv/storage, and the final directory. Check each component:
namei -l /new/path
sudo -u mysql test -r /new/path/mysql && sudo -u mysql test -x /new/path
On systems using a different service account, replace mysql in the test. A destination that is readable but not traversable through one parent still fails with “Permission denied.”
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Change the datadir in the configuration the service reads
Find the active [mysqld] option file from the defaults output and unit definition. Common package layouts include a main server configuration that includes a directory of drop-in files, but layouts differ by distribution and MariaDB version. Edit the active file or add a drop-in in the location that file includes:
[mysqld]
datadir=/new/path
Use an absolute path. Do not edit an unused sample file, a client-only section, or a file read only by a different installation. If the service’s ExecStart contains an explicit --datadir=..., that command-line option can override an option-file value; change the unit or its drop-in instead.
Keep the old directory intact. Renaming it immediately removes your easiest rollback and can obscure whether a failure is caused by configuration, permissions, or an incomplete copy.
Update systemd restrictions
MariaDB’s systemd documentation notes that packaged units can apply filesystem hardening. A custom datadir may therefore be blocked even when Unix permissions are correct.
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Writable paths under protected locations
For a datadir under /usr/local, the documented remedy is a service drop-in containing a ReadWritePaths allowance:
sudo systemctl edit mariadb[Service]
ReadWritePaths=/usr/local/mysql/data
Replace the example with the real destination. A path under another protected location may require a corresponding allowance based on the hardening directives shown by systemctl cat mariadb. Do not remove unrelated protections merely to make the service start.
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Destinations below /home
If the destination is under /home, systemd’s ProtectHome setting may hide it from the service. In a drop-in, set the required override explicitly:
[Service]
ProtectHome=false
Use this only when the database must live below /home; a system data volume such as /srv or /var/lib generally avoids that particular restriction. After any unit change:
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sudo systemctl restart mariadb
If you are not ready to restart, run systemctl daemon-reload after editing and perform the restart during the planned cutover.
Update mandatory-access-control policy
AppArmor
On distributions that enforce AppArmor for MariaDB, the profile may allow the old path only. MariaDB’s startup troubleshooting guidance shows an alias in /etc/apparmor.d/tunables/alias:
alias /var/lib/mysql/ -> /data/mariadb/,Change both paths to your actual old and new directories, retain the trailing slashes and comma, then reload or restart AppArmor:
sudo systemctl restart apparmor
Check the kernel or AppArmor logs if the service still receives “Permission denied.” An alias is not a substitute for correct Unix ownership and parent-directory traversal.
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SELinux denies access unless the destination has a type permitted for database files. MariaDB’s SELinux guide documents labeling a custom location with mysqld_db_t:
sudo semanage fcontext -a -t mysqld_db_t "/mariadb/data(/.*)?"
sudo restorecon -Rv /mariadb/data
ls -Zd /mariadb/data
ls -Z /mariadb/data | head
Substitute the real destination. If semanage is missing, install the SELinux management tools supplied by your distribution rather than disabling SELinux. Verify that the resulting context is appropriate before starting the service.
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Do not apply AppArmor instructions to a system that uses SELinux, or vice versa. Some distributions can have additional security controls, so inspect the service logs and audit logs when ordinary permissions look correct.
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sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl status mariadb --no-pager
sudo journalctl -u mariadb -b --no-pager -n 100
mariadb -NBe 'SELECT @@datadir;'
The query must return the new absolute path. A successful systemd start alone is not sufficient if you accidentally edited the wrong option file or mounted the wrong volume.
Run representative operations before removing the original:
mariadb -e 'SHOW DATABASES;'
mariadb -e 'CREATE DATABASE datadir_move_check;'
mariadb -e 'CREATE TABLE datadir_move_check.t (id INT PRIMARY KEY); INSERT INTO datadir_move_check.t VALUES (1); SELECT * FROM datadir_move_check.t;'
mariadb -e 'DROP DATABASE datadir_move_check;'
Use a harmless test database name that does not collide with an existing schema. Check application connections, scheduled jobs, replication or cluster health, backup jobs, and disk monitoring. Confirm that new files appear on the destination filesystem with findmnt and that the old directory’s contents are no longer changing.
Rollback if startup or validation fails
Keep the old directory untouched until startup, application checks, and at least one backup or restore test have succeeded. If MariaDB will not start:
- Read the first relevant error in
systemctl status mariadb,journalctl -u mariadb, and the configured MariaDB error log. - Stop the service again and verify that no
mariadbdprocess remains. - Check the effective
datadir, destination mount, ownership, parent traversal, systemd drop-ins, and AppArmor or SELinux policy. - To roll back, restore the original datadir setting and any unit or security-policy changes, run
systemctl daemon-reloadwhere necessary, and start MariaDB against the untouched original.
Do not copy files back over the original while a failed server process is still running. Preserve the failed destination for diagnosis until you know whether the problem was a missing file, a policy denial, or a configuration mismatch.
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Diagnose the common failure messages
“Can’t create test file” or read-only-file-system errors
- Confirm the destination volume is mounted read-write with
findmnt -no TARGET,OPTIONS /new/path. - Inspect systemd’s
ReadWritePathsand other hardening settings. - Check filesystem permissions and available space.
- Verify that the service account can create a temporary file in the datadir.
Permission denied
- Run
namei -l /new/pathto find a parent directory without execute permission. - Check owner and mode on the datadir and its files.
- Review AppArmor denials or SELinux audit records and apply the correct alias or context.
- Check systemd restrictions if the path is under
/usr/local,/home, or another protected location.
Aria or InnoDB lock errors
Make sure the original service is stopped and that no second MariaDB process, container, chroot, or manually launched server is using either copy. Lock files are not a reason to delete database files; identify the competing process first.
Missing privilege tables
Verify that the copy includes the complete mysql system schema and that the configured path is the destination containing those files. A copy of only application-schema directories cannot provide MariaDB’s privilege tables.
A path under /home is rejected
Inspect the unit for ProtectHome. If that restriction is the cause, add the narrowly scoped ProtectHome=false drop-in, reload systemd, and restart. Moving the datadir to a system data mount can avoid the restriction altogether.
Direct move, bind mount, or symlink?
| Approach | How it works | Advantages | Risks and policy considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
Change datadir directly |
Copy the directory and configure MariaDB to use the new absolute path. | Configuration states the real location; backups, monitoring, and troubleshooting are straightforward. | Requires systemd and AppArmor or SELinux updates for a nonstandard path. |
| Bind mount | Mount the new volume at the path MariaDB already uses, or bind-mount the new directory over the old path. | Can preserve an established path for scripts and security profiles while moving storage underneath. | Mount ordering must be reliable at boot; backup tools and operators must understand the mount; an absent mount can expose an empty underlying directory. |
| Symbolic link | Replace the old directory with a link to the destination. | Quick to test and can preserve a familiar path. | Some systemd, AppArmor, SELinux, backup, or container policies treat the link target differently. It can hide mount failures and make permissions harder to reason about. |
A direct datadir change is usually the clearest long-term configuration. A bind mount is useful when several tools are tightly coupled to the old path, provided the mount is declared and monitored. A symlink is the least explicit option and should be chosen only when you have verified every policy and backup interaction.
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Same filesystem versus a separate volume
| Layout | What it provides | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Another directory on the same filesystem | Simple reorganization without a new device or mount dependency. | It does not increase total capacity or isolate database failure and I/O from the rest of the system. |
| Dedicated local volume | Independent capacity planning and clearer separation of database I/O and failure domains. | Mount availability at boot, filesystem options, monitoring, and a tested recovery path for the device. |
| Network-backed storage | Storage can be expanded or presented independently of the database host. | Network availability, latency, locking semantics, boot ordering, and the storage vendor’s MariaDB compatibility requirements. |
MariaDB does not make a separate volume safe by itself. Reliability depends on the volume being present and writable before the service starts and on backups that are independent of that volume.
Quick Recap
Final cutover checklist
- The effective old datadir, service unit, service account, and separate log paths are recorded.
- MariaDB was stopped cleanly, with no remaining server process holding old files open.
- The destination filesystem is mounted at boot and has sufficient space and inodes.
- The entire datadir, including the
mysqlsystem schema, was copied with metadata preserved. - Ownership, modes, ACLs, extended attributes, and parent-directory traversal were checked.
- The active configuration points to the destination, and no command-line option overrides it.
- systemd allows the service to write there;
ProtectHomewas addressed if relevant. - AppArmor aliases or SELinux contexts were applied when those controls are enabled.
SELECT @@datadir;returns the destination after startup.- Reads, writes, application connections, scheduled jobs, replication, monitoring, and backups were tested.
- The old directory remains available for rollback until the new installation has passed your normal retention and recovery checks.
References
- MariaDB Server System Variables: datadir
- MariaDB systemd (Linux) documentation
- MariaDB startup troubleshooting
- MariaDB SELinux guide
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