Title: SQL Error when importing database
Last modified: August 24, 2016

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# SQL Error when importing database

 *  Resolved [Jonathon Leathers](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jtleathers/)
 * (@jtleathers)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-error-when-importing-database-1/)
 * I’m developing a site locally on WAMP with SQL 5.6.17. When I attempt to import
   the database to a server using an older version of SQL I get the following error:
 * “#1273 – Unknown collation: ‘utf8mb4_unicode_ci’”
 * Does anyone know how to properly rollback [this upgrade](https://make.wordpress.org/core/2015/04/02/the-utf8mb4-upgrade/)
   from WordPress 4.2?

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-error-when-importing-database-1/#post-6067799)
 * That’s not exactly a WordPress problems, and it would be easier to upgrade MySQL
   on the server, to be honest.
 * You need MySQL 5.5.3 or higher to support the `utf8mb4_unicode_ci` collation.
 * Have you contacted your hosting provider?
 * Alternatively, you can try changing your collation to `utf8_general_ci` but that
   might cause character encoding problems with the existing data.
 *  Thread Starter [Jonathon Leathers](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jtleathers/)
 * (@jtleathers)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-error-when-importing-database-1/#post-6067812)
 * Unfortunately the hosting provider will not upgrade MySQL and basically said “
   Google it”.
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-error-when-importing-database-1/#post-6067816)
 * Ok, so on the old database I recommend changing the collation on the tables to`
   utf8_general_ci` and then export again.
 * Alternatively, move just the content by exporting/importing in a fresh installation
   via the Tools section of each blog’s Dashboard.
 * Or, alternatively, find a nicer hosting provider. 😉
 *  Thread Starter [Jonathon Leathers](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jtleathers/)
 * (@jtleathers)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-error-when-importing-database-1/#post-6067818)
 * James, thanks for the responses. I was able to get it working and posted how 
   [in this thread](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/unknown-collation-utf8mb4_unicode_ci?replies=13#post-6884250)
   in case it works for others too.
 * Unfortunately I don’t always have control over the client’s hosting provider 
   but when I do I will start considering MySQL 5.5.3 or above a prerequisite to
   be considered an appropriate WordPress hosting provider.
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-error-when-importing-database-1/#post-6067819)
 * Thanks for sharing your solution!

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘SQL Error when importing database’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 5 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-error-when-importing-database-1/#post-6067819)
 * Status: resolved

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