Reset MySQL root password

How to restore mysql root password on Linux when you forget password? This task will be very simple if you follow the steps in this article.

Step 1 : Stop MySQL Server Service
You run this command to stop MySQL Server on linux

service mysqld stop

Step 2 : Restart MySQL Server without password

mysqld_safe –skip-grant-tables &

After you run the command above, you enter to continue running other commands

[root@server ~]# 180531 10:57:35 mysqld_safe Logging to ‘/var/log/mysqld.log’.
180531 10:57:35 mysqld_safe Starting mysqld daemon with databases from /var/lib/mysql

Step 3 : Connect MySQL Server via MySQL client

mysql -u root

[root@server ~]# mysql -u root
Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 2
Server version: 5.1.73 Source distribution

Copyright (c) 2000, 2013, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its
affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective
owners.

Type ‘help;’ or ‘\h’ for help. Type ‘\c’ to clear the current input statement.

mysql>

Step 4: Set  new password MySQL Server for user root

USE mysql;
UPDATE user set password=PASSWORD(“NEW-ROOT-PASSWORD”) WHERE User=”root”;
flush privileges;
quit
mysql> USE mysql;
No connection. Trying to reconnect…
Connection id: 3
Current database: *** NONE ***

Reading table information for completion of table and column names
You can turn off this feature to get a quicker startup with -A

Database changed
mysql> UPDATE user set password=PASSWORD(“NEW-ROOT-PASSWORD”) WHERE User=”root”;
Query OK, 3 rows affected (0.01 sec)
Rows matched: 3 Changed: 3 Warnings: 0

mysql> flush privileges;
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)

mysql> quit
Bye
[root@server ~]#

Step 5 : Restart MySQL Server

service mysqld restart

Step 6 : Recheck new password of user root

mysql -u root -p

Now you completely reset password for Mysql.
Good luck!