I've installed MySQL on my Slackware OS. I've figured out that how to set the password for the mysql root user. (/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root password 'new-password').

My question is what is meant by the following syntax.?

/usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h localhost password 'new-password'

Do I also have to give localhost a password.? I've tried typing it and receive the following error message:

bash-2.05b# /usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root -h localhost password 'new-password'
/usr/bin/mysqladmin: connect to server at 'localhost' failed
error: 'Access denied for user: 'root@localhost' (Using password: NO)'

Any comments?

Check the man pages for mysqlaccess. You may be able to fix the problem with mysqlaccess. After that, check the mand pages for mysqld to learn how to verify that the mysql server is running.

This means that you want to set a new password for the database user root to new-password on the host localhost. I would guess that if you already set a password then you will need to include the -p flag so that it will prompt for you to enter a password (the one you already assigned). That is what I get from the access denied error.

The failure to connect to server part makes me believe that your mysqld is not running. Try starting the database first. Also try 'man mysqladmin' you can also check out the documentation on the mysql website, it is fairly comprehensive.

Hello!

mysqladmin -u root -h localhost password 'new-password'

this means: start mysqladmin [where you set your adminstrators password for mysql] with "-u root" [username root] , "-h localhost" [hostname localhost, thats' your computer name] and "password 'new-password'" [root's password 'new-pasword', this will be your password]

-u = username
-h = hostname
password = password

You don't have to write "-h localhost" only if it's something else. Then start mysql with:
mysql -u username -p password

Hope you understood!
Boby

There should be no space between the -p and the password.