First ensure that you have installed mysql server fully:
apt-get install mysql-server-5.5 mysql-server
If you had installed only the former, you get the following error while starting mysql:
~# mysql -u root -p Enter password: ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock' (2)
Now, kill all mysql processes:
killall mysqld
Now run mysql in safe mode:
/usr/bin/mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &
Now you can enter mysql root without password:
# mysql --user=root Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g. Your MySQL connection id is 1 Server version: 5.5.35-0+wheezy1 (Debian) Copyright (c) 2000, 2013, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement. mysql>
Now reset the password:
mysql> use mysql;
mysql> update user set Password=PASSWORD('newpasswordmine') WHERE User='root';
mysql> flush privileges;
mysql> exit
Now you can login to mysql and check:
service mysql restart
mysql -u root -p
Enter password:
Joel G Mathew, known in tech circles by the pseudonym Droidzone, is an opensource and programming enthusiast.
He is a full stack developer, whose favorite languages are currently Python and Vue.js. He is also fluent in Javascript, Flutter/Dart, Perl, PHP, SQL, C and bash shell scripting. He loves Linux, and can often be found tinkering with linux kernel code, and source code for GNU applications. He used to be an active developer on XDA forums, and his tinkered ROMS used to be very popular in the early 2000s.
His favorite pastime is grappling with GNU compilers, discovering newer Linux secrets, writing scripts, hacking roms, and programs (nothing illegal), reading, blogging. and testing out the latest gadgets.
When away from the tech world, Dr Joel G. Mathew is a practising ENT Surgeon, busy with surgeries and clinical practise.