How to reset the MySQL root password

The following steps describe the procedure to reset the mysql root password on Linux.

1) Stop the mysql server

/etc/init.d/mysql stop

2) Start the mysql server manually without permission tables which allows us to login as root user without password:

mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &

3) Login into mysql as root user without a password and switch to the "mysql" database:

mysql -u root mysql

Then execute this SQL query to set a new password for the mysql root user:

use mysql;
update user set Password=PASSWORD('mynewpassword') WHERE User='root';

(Replace "mynewpassword" with the new root password in the above command).

Then logout from the mysql prompt by typing:

exit

4) Now bring back the running mysql instance into the foreground by typing:

fg

and then press [ctrl] + c to kill the mysql process.

5) Start the mysql server again:

/etc/init.d/mysql start