====== Restoring Accidently Deleted Root User in MySQL ======
If you, like me, have accidentally deleted your root user in MySQL, you will need to add the user manually.

First off, start MySQL with –skip-grant-tables by editing /etc/my.cnf

<code>[mysqld]
skip_grant_tables</code>

From there on, reboot MySQL with /etc/init.d/mysqld restart.

Then get into the MySQL CLI:

<code>[root@test ~]# mysql
Welcome to the MySQL monitor. Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 10
Server version: 5.0.77 Source distribution
Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the buffer.
mysql></code>

You will probably notice that GRANTS do not work when MySQL is started with skip-grant-tables. The way to get around this is to manually insert a record into the user table.

Then enter the following query (replace NEW_PASSWORD_HERE):

<code>INSERT INTO `mysql`.`user`(`Host`, `User`, `Password`, `Select_priv`, `Insert_priv`, `Update_priv`, `Delete_priv`, `Create_priv`, `Drop_priv`, `Reload_priv`, `Shutdown_priv`, `Process_priv`, `File_priv`, `Grant_priv`, `References_priv`, `Index_priv`, `Alter_priv`, `Show_db_priv`, `Super_priv`, `Create_tmp_table_priv`, `Lock_tables_priv`, `Execute_priv`, `Repl_slave_priv`, `Repl_client_priv`, `Create_view_priv`, `Show_view_priv`, `Create_routine_priv`, `Alter_routine_priv`, `Create_user_priv`, `ssl_type`, `ssl_cipher`, `x509_issuer`, `x509_subject`, `max_questions`, `max_updates`, `max_connections`, `max_user_connections`) VALUES ('%', 'root', PASSWORD('NEW_PASSWORD_HERE'), 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', 'Y', '', '', '', '', '0', '0', '0', '0');</code>

If all went well, you should see the following after you run

<code>SELECT * FROM mysql.user WHERE User = ‘root’;</code>

<code>mysql> SELECT * FROM mysql.USER;
Host: %
USER: root
Password: 5d95c890861e8dm65
Select_priv: Y
Insert_priv: Y
Update_priv: Y
Delete_priv: Y
Create_priv: Y
Drop_priv: Y
Reload_priv: Y
Shutdown_priv: Y
Process_priv: Y
File_priv: Y
Grant_priv: Y
References_priv: Y
Index_priv: Y
Alter_priv: Y
Show_db_priv: Y
Super_priv: Y
Create_tmp_table_priv: Y
Lock_tables_priv: Y
Execute_priv: Y
Repl_slave_priv: Y
Repl_client_priv: Y
Create_view_priv: Y
Show_view_priv: Y
Create_routine_priv: Y
Alter_routine_priv: Y
Create_user_priv: Y
ssl_type:
ssl_cipher:
x509_issuer:
x509_subject:
max_questions: 0
max_updates: 0
max_connections: 0
max_user_connections: 0</code>

Now you can go ahead and edit /etc/my.cnf again to remove skip_grant_tables, reboot MySQL and you should be able to login to MySQL with your newly created root account.