how to change mysql root password in rhel6 ?

I recently had to reset the MySQL root password due to the fact that initializing it the way I assumed it should did not work. The following procedure will work in CentOS/RHEL/Scientific Linux and Fedora.

After installing MySQL using

# yum install mysql-server

I can run the command

# mysqladmin -u root password 'new-password'

Trying to log in with the following failed

# mysql -u root -p

with the following error

Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost'

Decided to not spend more time as it’s a fresh MySQL installation. And did the following to reset the root password for MySQL.

Resetting the root password

1) Stopped the MySQL service.

# service mysqld stop

2) Started MySQL in safe mode.

# mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &

3) Logged in using root.

# mysql -u root

4) Reset the password.

> use mysql;

> update user set password=PASSWORD("mynewpassword") where User='root';

> flush privileges;

> quit

5) Stop MySQL in safe mode.

# service mysqld stop

6) Start MySQL.

# service mysqld start

7) Log in using the new password.

# mysql -u root -p