How to increase mysqld-nt CPU usage

Question

I have a pretty much default installation on mysql on Windows 2003. I am rebuilding some indexes and the process only seems to use 3-20% of the CPU.

Is there a way to allow it to use more and speed up the process?

Answer 1

This applies to every application/process, not only mysql. If your database is using 3-20% CPU and the final performance is still unacceptable it means that you don't lack processor power, since it is most of the time idle. What is most probable is your bottleneck is at your HDD or HDD-controller level. Have you tested the I/O bandwitch and access time of your HD?

Answer 2

Can you mount a ramdisk, and move your database tables to that instead? You'll need lots of RAM, but if your DB is only a few hundred MB, then you'd be skipping the heavy disk IO. Obviously, you'd want to be working from backups in case the power went out...

Answer 3

Also, along the lines of what Fernando mentioned, Try to figure out where you bottleneck is. It's probably the hard disk. Open up Perfmon, and add counters for PhysicalDisk to see if that's where your bottleneck is. From the activity you are doing, it's probably writing to the actual disk that is causing the slow down.