Changing mysql root password when you have lost the original password.

<sxh bash>
sudo /etc/init.d/mysql stop
</sxh>

<sxh bash>
sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &
</sxh>

Now type the following command, you should not be prompted for a password when you enter this command
<sxh bash>
mysql -u root
</sxh>
\\
Now select the database we are going to use with:
<sxh bash>
use mysql;
</sxh>

Change the password for root user with:
<sxh bash>
update user set password=PASSWORD("mynewpassword") where User='root';
</sxh>
The flush privileges;
<sxh bash>
flush privileges;
</sxh>
Now exit out of mysql.
\\ You will now need to stop mysql and then start it again. The commands will vary slightly depending on if you are using CentOS or Ubunut/Debian.
\\
You should see something similar to the following once you have stopped mysql:
<sxh bash>
root@linux ~]# service mysqld stop
150404 20:55:28 mysqld_safe mysqld from pid file /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid ended
Stopping mysqld:                                           [  OK  ]
[1]+  Done                    sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables
</sxh>