phpMyAdmin - Error Incorrect format

Knowledgebase

When importing a database with phpMyAdmin I receive the error "Error Incorrect format parameter". This can often occur due to memory or timeout restrictions with very large SQL export files. If you have access to a terminal/shell and can run the MySQL command as root to import the database, example:

mysql database_name < export.sql

That can often get you around the issue. If not, you may find increasing the following values may rectify the issue via your php.ini file if one is used for your PHP environment:

max_execution_time = 3000
max_input_time = 600
memory_limit = 500M
post_max_size = 500M
upload_max_filesize = 500M

If you do not have access to a php.ini, setting the following in your .htaccess file may do the trick:

php_value max_execution_time = 3000
php_value max_input_time = 600
php_value memory_limit = 500M
php_value post_max_size = 500M
php_value upload_max_filesize = 500M

If you've tried all of the above steps and the error is still occurring, you may need to contact our support for assistance. We will be able to help you identify and resolve the issue.