# Execution time of adding an index is too long

**URL:** <https://forums.percona.com/t/execution-time-of-adding-an-index-is-too-long/734>\
**Category:** Other MySQL® Questions\
**Created:** [April 26, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.percona.com/t/execution-time-of-adding-an-index-is-too-long/734 "2008-04-26T20:36:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vpestovnikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a6a055/32.png) [@vpestovnikov](https://forums.percona.com/u/vpestovnikov)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.percona.com/t/execution-time-of-adding-an-index-is-too-long/734/1 "2008-04-26T20:36:25Z")

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Hi all,

I have a table of 45 millions records.  
I am trying to create an index on a column.  
I run this job on Friday, today is Monday and this job is still working. Is there any chance to improve this situation?

mysql\> show processlist;  
±----±-----±----------±-------±--------±-------±----- -------------±--------------------------------------------- ---------+  
| Id | User | Host | db | Command | Time | State | Info |  
±----±-----±----------±-------±--------±-------±----- -------------±--------------------------------------------- ---------+  
| 823 | root | localhost | my\_db | Query | 260699 | copy to tmp table | ALTER TABLE my\_table ADD INDEX datetime (datetime)  
±----±-----±----------±-------±--------±-------±----- -------------±--------------------------------------------- ---------+  
Coping into the “tmp table” is normal process or I can improve it by somehow?

P.S. MySQL 4.0.45 / engine type: MyISAM

Thanks in advance.