Change mysql root password on Centos7

dit the initial root password on install can be found by running

grep 'temporary password' /var/log/mysqld.log

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/linux-installation-yum-repo.html

1. systemd is now used to look after mySQL instead of mysqld_safe (which is why you get the -bash: mysqld_safe: command not found error – it’s not installed)
2. The user table structure has changed.

So to reset the root password, you still start mySQL with --skip-grant-tables options and update the user table, but how you do it has changed.

1. Stop mysql:
systemctl stop mysqld

2. Set the mySQL environment option 
systemctl set-environment MYSQLD_OPTS="--skip-grant-tables"

3. Start mysql usig the options you just set
systemctl start mysqld

4. Login as root
mysql -u root

5. Update the root user password with these mysql commands
mysql> UPDATE mysql.user SET authentication_string = PASSWORD('MyNewPassword')
    -> WHERE User = 'root' AND Host = 'localhost';
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
mysql> quit

6. Stop mysql
systemctl stop mysqld

7. Unset the mySQL envitroment option so it starts normally next time
systemctl unset-environment MYSQLD_OPTS

8. Start mysql normally:
systemctl start mysqld

Try to login using your new password:
7. mysql -u root -p