How to reset MySQL root password

These steps are required if we have lost(for my case) the root password for MySQL administration.

Step 1: At first I stop the MySQL service from Linux root user.

/etc/init.d/mysql stop

Step 2: Then I start again MySQL service with --skip-grant-tables, so that at the time of login into the MySQL service system should not ask for authentication.

mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables &

Step 3: In this step I first login into MySQL root user without password.

mysql -u root

Then I issue the following MySQL command to change the root password and quit to Linux shell..

use mysql;

update user set password=password('password') where user='root';

flush privileges;

Step 4: The last stage is to restart MySQL server using default option.

/etc/init.d/mysql restart

The password for root user is changed now. I have done all these procedures on the OS Debuan 5.