How to change the mysql root password

Question

I have installed MySQL server 5 on redhat linux. I can\'t login as root so I can\'t change the root password.

mysql -u root -p  
Enter password:  

        

Answer 1

I removed the MySQL installation and deleted the data files, and then reinstalled it.

Then I was able to set the root password. Once you set the root password to something. mysqladmin won't let you reset it if you don't know it.

To reset it, you've got to have ownership over how mysqld is executed, and feed it an init file to change the root password: https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/resetting-permissions.html