Resetting ROOT password in MySQL on Windows

Question

I have been following these instructions for resetting root password for local installation of MySQL 5.6 on Windows 7 laptop.

I stopped the service, created init-file, and ran the following command (as Administrator):

"C:\Program Files\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6\bin\mysqld" --defaults-file="C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6\my.ini" --init-file=C:\\MySQL-misc\\mysql-init.txt

I got the following warning:

2014-02-08 15:44:10 0 [Warning] TIMESTAMP with implicit DEFAULT value is deprecated. Please use --explicit_defaults_for_timestamp server option (see documentation for more details).

Since it's a warning I'm not sure whether I need to fix anything and then redo the process again.

Currently the command window is still on and does not accept any input. Should I force-close it or is there anything I can do to complete the process gracefully?

UPDATE

I killed the Command window and tried to restart the service. Got an error.

Restarted Windows and the service automatically started. The new root password seems to work. I was successfully able to use various functions of Workbench that require the password.

So, the warning was indeed just a warning.

Answer 1

Steps for MariaDB 11.4 or MySQL, Windows 10

---

I decided to answer this, because most of current answers are outdated, and they didn't worked with newer versions of MySQL/MariaDB:

1. Go to services, and stop MariaDB service
2. Look for, and open my.ini file, at: C:\Program Files\MariaDB 11.4\data
3. Open it, and add skip-grant-tables below [mysqld]
4. Go to services, and start MariaDB service
5. Open CMD with administrator privileges, then follow the steps:

cd C:\Program Files\MariaDB 11.4\data\bin
mysql.exe -uroot -p
## Enter with empty password ##

MariaDB [(none)]> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
  Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.036 sec)

MariaDB [(none)]> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new_password'
  Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.004 sec)

MariaDB [(none)]> exit;
  Bye

6. Remove skip-grant-tables from your my.ini file
7. Go to services, and restart MariaDB service

Answer 2

If you are getting this error: mysqld_safe Directory '/var/run/mysqld' for UNIX socket file don't exists. when attempting to reset your root password. You might try:

sudo service mysql stop
sudo mkdir -p /var/run/mysqld
sudo chown mysql:mysql /var/run/mysqld
sudo service mysql stop
sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables & 
mysql -uroot
update mysql.user set authentication_string=password('your_password') where user='root';
flush privileges;
quit
sudo killall mysql
sudo service mysql start
mysql -u root -pyour_password

Tested in MySQL 5.7 running in Ubuntu 18.04

Answer 3

First stop mysql server and follow below steps:

Go to mysql bin directory on cmd i,e. cd C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6\bin (Its a hidden directory)

skip grant tables will allow you enter into mysql

• mysqld.exe --skip-grant-tables

Open new command prompt or on same command prompt

• mysql.exe -uroot -p (without any password you can login to mysql)

run below query to change mysql root password

• UPDATE mysql.user set password=password('root password') WHERE user='root';
• flush privileges

Thats it, Restart mysql and good to go with new password..!!

Answer 4

Without editing mi.ini:

service mysql stop
mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables

on a separate ssh session:

update mysql.user set password=PASSWORD('NEW PASSWORD') where user='root';

no need to flush privileges, just restart the server

Answer 5

For MySQL 5.6 on Windows I had to run this statement to make it work.

UPDATE mysql.user
SET Password=PASSWORD('NEW PASSWORD'), 
authentication_String=PASSWORD('NEW PASSWORD')
WHERE User='root';

Answer 6

On Windows:

0) shut down service mysql56

1) go to C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.6, note that ProgramData is a hidden folder

2) looking for file my.ini, open it and add one line skip-grant-tables below [mysqld],save

[mysqld]

skip-grant-tables

3) start service mysql56

4) by right, you can access the database, run mysql

5) and use the query below to update the password

update mysql.user set password=PASSWORD('NEW PASSWORD') where user='root';

note: for newer version, use authentication_string instead of password

6) shut down the service again, remove the line skip-grant-tables save it, and start the service again. try to use the password you set to login.

---

On Mac:

0) stop the service

sudo /usr/local/mysql/support-files/mysql.server stop

1) skip grant table

sudo /usr/local/mysql/bin/mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables

once it's running, don't close it, and open a new terminal window

2) go into mysql terminal

/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql -u root

3) update the password

UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD('password') WHERE User='root';

for newer version like 5.7, use

UPDATE mysql.user SET authentication_string=PASSWORD('password') WHERE User='root';

4) run FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

5) run \q to quit

6) start the mysql server

sudo /usr/local/mysql/support-files/mysql.server start

Answer 7

• Stop Mysql service by going into Administrative tools > Services
• Open Start > Run > cmd (Run as administrator)

• Start the server manually using this line:

  mysqld -P3306 --skip-grant-tables
  

• In new cmd (Run as administrator) execute :

  mysql -P3306 mysql
  

• Execute the following query in mysql client:

  update mysql.user set authentication_string=password('new_password') where user='root';
  

That's it!!

Answer 8

Updating this answer regarding to changes at MySQL 5.7:

0) shut down service mysql57

1) go to C:\ProgramData\MySQL\MySQL Server 5.7, note that ProgramData is a hidden folder

2) looking for file my.ini, open it and add one line skip-grant-tables below [mysqld],save

[mysqld]

skip-grant-tables

3) start service mysql57

4) by right, you can access the database, run mysql

5) and use the query below to update the password

update mysql.user set authentication_string=password('NEW_PASSWORD') where user='root';

6) shut down the service again, remove the line skip-grant-tables save it, and start the service again. try to use the password you set to login.

Answer 9

In case if you have Xampp installed.

1. Goto C:\xampp\mysql\bin
2. Open my.ini file
3. Put skip-grant-tables under [mysqld]
4. Goto windows services and stop mysql service
5. Trigger this command from command prompt C:\xampp\mysql\bin\mysql
6. Now, reset the root password with the MySQL query update mysql.user set password=PASSWORD('root') where user='root';
7. Exit the command prompt.
8. Restart the mysql windows service that was turned off in step 4.
9. Now you will be able to login to mysql using password as root.

Answer 10

The issue has been resolved.

As stated in my question I followed instructions from MySQL manual.

The process did not go exactly as described (and this was the reason for my original post) but it worked nevertheless (see UPDATE section in my post).