I just installed MySQL version 4.1.20 on my CentOS 4.4 server. The default install of MySQL server uses a blank password for root so I had to have it changed. I also set the MySQL service to start up every time my machine boots up.

This is how I did it;

Method 1

  1. yum -y install mysql-server (This will install the mysql binaries)

  2. chkconfig mysqld on (Adds mysqld to the startup services)

  3. service mysqld start (Starts the MySQL server)

  4. mysql -u root@localhost (Brings up the MySQL console)

  5. #mysql> set password for root=password(‘password’); (Sets the root password to “password”)
  6. #mysql> reload privileges; (Reloads the grant tables)

Method 2

  1. mysql -u root (Brings up the MySQL console)

  2. #mysql> use mysql (Use the mysql database)
  3. #mysql> update user
    -> set password=password(“password”) (Sets the root password to “password”)
    -> where user=“root”;

  4. reload privileges; (Reloads the grant tables)

That’s it, the next time you want to get the MySQL console up you’ll have to run #mysql -u root -p to get the password prompt.

Post-Installation Setup and Testing at MySQL

Update:

This will work too.

/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root password ’new-password’
/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h pandora.crib password ’new-password’