To recover the MySQL root password if forgotten.

• Stop the mysqld daemon process.
• Start the mysqld daemon process:

  --skip-grant-tables

• Start the mysql client

  -u root

• Execute the command

  UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD('password') WHERE User='root';

• Execute the command

  FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

• Use mysqladmin to shut down the MySQL daemon:

  mysqladmin shutdown

• Start MySQL server as per normal.