MySQL/MariaDB getting started.

Getting initial root permissions

/!\ Note! I assume that all actions are conducted as a superuser or via sudo command.

1. Find out your DB version:
   #mysql --version
2. Stop DB server
   #service mysql stop (or mariadb)
3. Start DB instance in safe mode (yeah, there goes security...)
   #mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking &
4. Login as root
   IMPORTANT NOTE: In newer versions of mysql you can login as root into database if you are under superuser system account. Which means: you have to be root in system, to get mysql root shell.
   #mysql -u root
5. Flush priviliges and alter permissions
   mysql> FLUSH PRIVILIGES;
   MySQL 5.7.6+ and MariaDB 10.1.20+:
   mysql> ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'new_password';
   Prior MySQL and MariaDB versions:
   mysql> SET PASSWORD FOR 'root'@'localhost' = PASSWORD('new_password'); 
6. Due to restricted usage of root in newer versions, I adwise to create admin user:
   CREATE USER 'newuser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';
   GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'newuser'@'localhost';
   FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
7. Kill mysqld_safe process
   Find PID in /var/run/mysql/mysql.pid or via ps aufx
   Ensure no mysql survives :)))
8. Restart mysql (of course you can simply use "star", but I prefer that way)
   #service mysql restart

Everybody happy.

Another way, that just might help.

1. Open /etc/mysql/my.cnf (or any other effective config)
2. under
   [mysqld]
   add
   skip-grant-tables
3. #service restart mysql
4. #mysql -u root
5. mysql>UPDATE mysql.user SET authentication_string = PASSWORD('MyNewPass') WHERE User = 'root' AND Host = 'localhost';
6. /!\ Remove skip-grant-tables from my.cnf
7. #service restart mysql