Resetting MySQL Root Password: Red Hat and CentOS

If you've forgotten your MySQL root password (or are involved with some nefarious activity), here is how you can reset that password on a Red Hat (RHEL) system or a CentOS system:


Stop MySQL:

Code:

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root#  service mysqld stop

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Start MySQL in safe mode:

Code:

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root#  mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &

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Log into MySQL as root:

Code:

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root#  mysql -u root

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Reset the password:

Code:

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mysql>  update mysql.user set password=PASSWORD("YourNewPassW0RD") where User='root';
mysql>  flush privileges; exit;

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Log out of MySQL and stop the Safe Mode:

Code:

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root#  service mysqld stop

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Start MySQL in the normal mode:

Code:

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root#  service mysqld start

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Log into MySQL with your new password:

Code:

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root#  mysql -u root -p
Enter password:
mysql>

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The above info is for a Red Hat system, CentOS, or Scientific Linux setup