MariaDB failed to start because both Aria and InnoDB

🧭 Step-by-Step Fix (XAMPP Safe Method)
⚠️ First, Backup Everything

Before any recovery attempt:

Stop MySQL in XAMPP.

Go to:

C:\xampp\mysql\data

Copy the entire data folder to somewhere safe, e.g.:

C:\backup_mysql_data_2025_10_10

🧰 Step 1: Delete Corrupted Aria Logs

In C:\xampp\mysql\data, delete all files starting with:

aria_log.

Also delete:

aria_log_control

🧰 Step 2: Remove InnoDB Log Files

Still inside C:\xampp\mysql\data, delete:

ib_logfile0
ib_logfile1

(These will be recreated automatically on restart.)

🧰 Step 3: Force Recovery Mode (to extract data safely)

If it still won’t start, edit:

C:\xampp\mysql\bin\my.ini

Under [mysqld], add:

innodb_force_recovery = 1

Then try starting MySQL from XAMPP again.

If it still fails, increase the value gradually up to 6:

innodb_force_recovery = 6

⚠️ Warning:

You can only dump/export data in recovery mode.

Do not write or modify data.

Once MySQL starts:

Use phpMyAdmin or mysqldump to export all your databases.

Stop MySQL again.

Remove the innodb_force_recovery line from my.ini.

🧰 Step 4: Rebuild the Data Directory (if nothing works)

If MySQL still won’t start:

Stop XAMPP.

Rename:

C:\xampp\mysql\data → C:\xampp\mysql\data_old

Create a new empty folder:

C:\xampp\mysql\data

Copy the backup from:

C:\xampp\mysql\backup

(This contains default system tables: mysql, performance_schema, etc.)

Start MySQL.

Reimport your .sql database exports.