MySQL 8 Installation and Root Password Reset Guide

Step-by-step setup for Ubuntu / Debian, Rocky / CentOS / AlmaLinux, and Windows.

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1. Prerequisites

1. Administrator access is required (sudo on Linux or Administrator CMD/PowerShell on Windows).
2. Make sure system time is correct (important for logs and security behavior).
3. For production servers, create a snapshot or backup before password recovery actions.

2. Install MySQL 8 on Ubuntu / Debian

# 1) Update package index
sudo apt update

# 2) Install MySQL Server
sudo apt install -y mysql-server

# 3) Enable and start service
sudo systemctl enable --now mysql
sudo systemctl status mysql --no-pager

# 4) Verify version
mysql --version

Initial security hardening

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Recommended: remove anonymous users, disable remote root login, remove test database, and reload privilege tables.

3. Install MySQL 8 on Rocky / CentOS / AlmaLinux (Community Edition)

# 1) Install official MySQL repository (EL9 example)
sudo dnf install -y https://dev.mysql.com/get/mysql80-community-release-el9-1.noarch.rpm

# 2) Install MySQL Community Server
sudo dnf install -y mysql-community-server

# 3) Enable and start service
sudo systemctl enable --now mysqld
sudo systemctl status mysqld --no-pager

# 4) Verify version
mysql --version

Read temporary root password and harden installation

# A temporary password is often generated on first install
sudo grep 'temporary password' /var/log/mysqld.log

# Complete security setup
sudo mysql_secure_installation

4. Install MySQL 8 on Windows (MySQL Installer)

1. Download and run MySQL Installer (Community edition).
2. Select MySQL Server 8.0.x and proceed with default setup unless you have custom requirements.
3. Set a strong root password during configuration and keep port 3306 if available.
4. Note your service name (commonly MySQL80) and set it to auto-start.

5. Linux: Reset Forgotten Root Password (Safe Procedure)

Important: this procedure temporarily bypasses auth checks. Use only in controlled access environments and include --skip-networking.

# 1) Stop service (choose the one used on your system)
sudo systemctl stop mysql
# or
sudo systemctl stop mysqld

# 2) Start temporary no-auth mode (local only)
sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking &

# 3) Open a new terminal and connect
mysql -u root

# 4) Reset root password
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'NewStrongPassword!123';

# 5) Exit
exit;

# 6) Stop temporary process and restart normally
sudo pkill -f mysqld_safe
sudo systemctl start mysql
# or
sudo systemctl start mysqld

# 7) Verify login
mysql -u root -p

6. Windows: Reset Forgotten Root Password

:: 1) Open Administrator CMD and stop MySQL service
net stop MySQL80

:: 2) Start server in skip-grant mode (keep this window open)
mysqld --console --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking

:: 3) Open a second Administrator CMD window
mysql -u root

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'NewStrongPassword!123';
exit;

:: 4) Close skip-grant console, then restart service
net start MySQL80

:: 5) Verify
mysql -u root -p

7. Post-Install Best Practices

1. Create dedicated application users. Do not run apps with root account.
2. Expose database ports only when necessary; prefer private network access.
3. Set up regular backups and test restore procedures periodically.
4. Document service names, config file paths, and recovery steps for your team.

8. Common Troubleshooting