Recover MySQL root Password

Question

We can reset the mysql password by using the mysqld_safe with --skip-grant-tables option.

1. Can we reset it without mysql restart?

Answer 1

1) You can update user table in mysql database but only if you still have active connection with enough privileges.

2) You cannot, passwords are not stored, only their hash values, on your login hash of your password is compared to hash stored in mysql and there is no way to find password out of hash other than trying all possible passwords hoping for hash match.