Reset MySQL root password if you forgot it #mysql

Just had a need to reset the mysql root login password for a server, did a bit of Googling and found out this is how you do it (I work on Ubuntu so you may have to tinker with the lines slightly depending on your distribution):

1. Stop the current MySQL instance from running:
   /etc/init.d/mysql stop
2. Run mysql with –skip-grant-tables
   /usr/bin/mysqld_safe –basedir=/usr –datadir=/var/lib/mysql –user=mysql –pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid –socket=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock –port=3306 –skip-grant-tables &
3. Log into mysql, straight into the mysql database
   mysql -u root mysql
4. Reset the root password.
   UPDATE user SET Password=PASSWORD(‘newrootpassword’) WHERE User=’root’;
5. Flush privileges
   flush privileges;
6. Shut down the new running mysql.
   /etc/init.d/mysql stop
7. Start up mysql as usual.
   /etc/init.d/mysql start

Et voila, you now have a new root password without needing to know the old one!

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