Resetting MySQL root password
From D3xt3r01.tk
WHY
Because you forgot or misstyped your password too many times.
HOW
1. Kill the mysql
/etc/init.d/mysqld stop
or
Locate your mysql .pid file and do kill -9 `cat /path/to/pid.file`
2. Start again with --skip-grant-tables
3. Start mysqld
sudo -u mysql mysqld --skip-grant-tables &
4. Run mysql
5. Do this:
mysql> UPDATE mysql.user SET Password=PASSWORD('l33tP4ssw0rd') WHERE User='root';
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
5. \q
6. Kill the mysqld and start it from the init script.