Use the following steps to reset a MySQL root password by using the command line interface.
Stop the MySQL service
(Ubuntu and Debian) Run the following command:
1 2 | sudo /etc/init.d/mysql stop |
(CentOS, Fedora, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux) Run the following command:
1 2 | sudo /etc/init.d/mysqld stop |
Start MySQL without a password
Run the following command. The ampersand (&) at the end of the command is required.
1 2 | sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables & |
Connect to MySQL
Run the following command:
1 2 | mysql -uroot |
Set a new MySQL root password
Run the following command:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 | use mysql; update user set password=PASSWORD("mynewpassword") where User='root'; flush privileges; quit |
Stop and start the MySQL service
(Ubuntu and Debian) Run the following commands:
1 2 3 4 | sudo /etc/init.d/mysql stop ... sudo /etc/init.d/mysql start |
(CentOS, Fedora, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux) Run the following commands:
1 2 3 4 | sudo /etc/init.d/mysqld stop ... sudo /etc/init.d/mysqld start |
Log in to the database
Test the new password by logging in to the database.
1 2 | mysql -u root -p |
You are prompted for your new password.