Reset MySQL root password in Windows and UNIX

1.    Shutdown the MySQL Server –

a.    Use windows services to shut down: Start > run > services.msc  > MySQL > right click and select STOP 

b.    Using mysqladmin by running following command in command prompt:

mysqladmin -u root shutdown (make sure to provide the correct path for mysqladmin if it has not been added in windows path)

2.     Start the MySQL Server in safe mode (anonymous login):

         C:\>start mysqld-nt --skip-grant-tables (A black screen will flicker and here you go)

        In UNIX environment u has to use below command:

              mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables

3.    Now you open the command line and try to connect to the root user with empty password by running below command:

             C:\>Mysql -uroot

4.    when you logged in u will get a prompt as

             mysql>

5.    Now select the MySQL database:

             use mysql;

6.    Update the root password by running this command:

             mysql> update user set Password=PASSWORD('<new-password>') WHERE User='root';

7.    Shutdown the MySQL Server:  (it is very important to stop the server at this stage since it is running in anonymous mode):

              mysqladmin -u root shutdown

8.    Now start server again and can log in with new password.