mysql> explain select min(accesslog_id) from accesslog where int_time >1080770400; +-----------+------+---------------+------+---------+------+----------+------------+ | table | type | possible_keys | key | key_len | ref | rows | Extra | +-----------+------+---------------+------+---------+------+----------+------------+ | accesslog | ALL | int_time | NULL | NULL | NULL | 13563083 | where used | +-----------+------+---------------+------+---------+------+----------+------------+ 1 row in set (0.01 sec) mysql> explain select accesslog_id from accesslog where int_time >1080770400 order by accesslog_id LIMIT 0,1; +-----------+-------+---------------+----------+---------+------+----------+-------------- --------------+ | table | type | possible_keys | key | key_len | ref | rows | Extra | +-----------+-------+---------------+----------+---------+------+----------+-------------- --------------+ | accesslog | range | int_time | int_time | 5 | NULL | 13563083 | where used; Using filesort | +-----------+-------+---------------+----------+---------+------+----------+-------------- --------------+ 1 row in set (0.00 sec)