Just some additional info:
key_buffer_size: 512MB
myisam_max_sort_file_size: 2GB
-rw-r----- 1 mysql daemon 1.6G Apr 10 12:37 surface_daily.MYD
-rw-r----- 1 mysql daemon 903M Apr 10 12:56 surface_daily.MYI
-rw-r----- 1 mysql daemon 11K Apr 10 12:07 surface_daily.frm
The manual says on myisam_max_sort_file_size: "Don't use the fast sort index method to create an index if the temporary file would become larger than this." What's meant by temporary file? MYI or MYI+MYD?
If it's MYI+MYD then this table would not use the fast sort index method on the ALTER TABLE, right? (1.6GB + 903MB >= 2 GB)
This would explain, why I don't have any problems with slightly smaller tables on ALTER TABLE.
Any thoughts?
-- And all I wanted to do is nothing more than correct a typo in a column comment! I don't understand why MySQL has to rebuild the whole table for that anyway... ;-)
Beat Vontobel
http://www.futhark.ch/mysql
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2006 10:45AM by Beat Vontobel.