How to recover MySQL password?

Question

I installed MySQL earlier in the week and forgot the root password.

I assumed that uninstalling and re-installing MySQL would allow me to create a new root password. However, now during the re-installation process it's asking for me to provide the previous password that I don't have anymore.

Every suggestion that I've found to fix this issue states that I need to find MySQL within 'Services' of Windows but MySQL is not in there or the Task Manager.

Answer 1

I always use this solution to reset the password;)

• Stop MySQL

   sudo service mysql stop

• Make MySQL service directory.

   sudo mkdir /var/run/mysqld

• Give MySQL user permission to write to the service directory.

   sudo chown mysql: /var/run/mysqld

• Start MySQL manually, without permission checks or networking.

   sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking &

• Log in without a password.

   mysql -uroot mysql

• Update the password for the root user.

   UPDATE mysql.user SET authentication_string=PASSWORD('YOURNEWPASSWORD'), plugin='mysql_native_password' WHERE User='root' AND Host='%'; EXIT;

• Turn off MySQL.

   sudo mysqladmin -S /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock shutdown

• Start the MySQL service normally.

   sudo service mysql start

Edit:

This is a documentation for the Windows.

https://dev.mysql.com/doc/mysql-windows-excerpt/5.7/en/resetting-permissions-windows.html

Did you start the Mysql?

https://superuser.com/questions/666521/how-do-i-start-a-mysql-server-on-windows