MacOSX homebrew mysql root password

Question

For some reason MySQL stopped giving access for root. Uninstalled and reinstalled with Homebrew. Fresh install, fresh tables but when I enter

mysql -u root -         


        

Answer 1

In case you have inadvertently set and forgot the root password, and you don't want to wipe all your databases and start over because you are lazy and forgot to have a back up solution in place, and you are using a fairly recent Homebrew install (Winter 2013), here are steps to reset your password for MySQL.

Stop the currently running MySQL instance

launchctl unload -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/homebrew.mxcl.mysql.plist

Now start mysql by hand skipping the grant tables and networking

$(brew --prefix mysql)/bin/mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking

Note that if when you run echo $(brew --prefix mysql) and it does not respond as "/usr/local/opt/mysql" in bash, you will need to adjust the path accordingly.

Once you have done this, you now should have a running, unprotected MySQL instance up.

Log in and set the password

mysql -u root

At the prompt, enter the following MySQL command to set a new password for the effected user.

mysql> update mysql.user set password=PASSWORD('new_password_here') WHERE user='root';

If all went to plan it should say:

Query OK, 1 row affected (0.02 sec)
Rows matched: 4  Changed: 1  Warnings: 0

Exit out of the MySQL prompt.

mysql> exit
Bye

Stop server:

mysqladmin -u root shutdown

Now, lets put back the launch daemon so we have our MySQL at the ready again:

launchctl load -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/homebrew.mxcl.mysql.plist

Congratulations. You've just reset your mysql root password. Pour yourself a coffee and get a backup solution in place!