Solution to problem with "MySQL Server has gone away" with Drupal and Site5 (cron job in particular)

Jul 8, 2010

Disabling the Update Status module made my "MySQL Server has gone away" errors go away for a little while. But then it came back. Along with the errors, the cron job wouldn't complete, and therefore the cron_semaphore (do you know what a sempaphore is?) variable in the variable table wouldn't reset, and thus cron wouldn't run again. I talked to Site5 support - they have added instant chat support since the last time I had a major issue - and they got it fixed by upping the MySQL memory limit in a my.ini file that contained the following:


[mysqld]
max_allowed_packet=64M

Apparently you can modify the MySQL settings as well as php.ini this way. Nice.

Comments

Submitted by joseph (not verified) on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 11:29.

I have the same problem but im hosting with godaddy(stupid) and i can't change my my.ini file and i need to run cron. So if you have godaddy your stuck (unless you want a dedicated server)

Submitted by Shai Samuel (not verified) on Sat, 10/22/2011 - 02:17.

Same problem. This solution worked for me. The only difference was that I edit my.cnf file. Thanks for your support.

Post new comment

Home Contact Twitter

Chris Shattuck

Developer, trainer, enthusiast

Welcome! If you are here to confirm that I'm a real person with verifiable skills, you may want to look at my projects. If you're curious about my Drupal work, one good example is Build a Module.com, the 50+ hour collection of original Drupal videos to help up and coming site builders, developers and themers learn Drupal. If you're looking for signs of my recent engagements with the world, I occasionally post updates to my blog and Twitter.

I have been a Drupal freelancer for the last several years, though I've recently been focusing my full-time efforts on Build a Module.com. I conducted a highly rated training at Drupalcon 2010 with an associate, and am now focusing on virtual training through concise video tutorials. I'm passionate about learning from those around me (as you'll find out if we chat), and oddly enough I find that training is one of the best ways to learn from others.

I often do presentations, in a large part because I enjoy the process of boiling down ideas into their most essential components. That same practice also draws me to usability and understanding the impact of simple, effective design. I'm a huge fan of improving productivity and getting the most out of life, be it through GTD, jogging or quiet contemplation. When I'm not plugging away at some venture or another, I write electronic and acoustic guitar music. I also once ran a relay across the USA.

If you have any questions, please send me an e-mail.