I just installed mysql-server on Ubuntu22.04 using apt, it’s running as a service, everything appears to be fine. It was installed without a root pwd, and while trying to create one I run into a syntax error at the end of the process.

Initial newbie tries:
root@DEV: mysql -u root –skip-password (denied, nothing in error.log)
root@DEV: mysqladmin -u root -p password (denied, nothing in error.log)

Final try after further research:

1. [root ~]# systemctl stop mysql
2. In terminal A [root ~]# mysqld_safe –skip-grant-tables &
3. In terminal B: mysql -u root (gets me in)
4. mysql> use mysql;
5. mysql> select * from user; (returns “empty set”)
6. mysql> truncate table user; (returns “Query OK, zero rows affected”)
7. mysql> flush privileges; (returns “Query OK”)

So, everything is good to this point but now commence the syntax errors. To wit:

1. mysql> grant all privileges on . to root@localhost identified by ‘admin’ with grant option; (note the quotes around admin)
2. mysql> grant all privileges on . to root@localhost identified by admin with grant option; (no quotes around admin)
3. mysql> alter user root@localhost identified by admin;
   (note syntax error says “near ‘admin'”)
4. mysql> alter user root@localhost identified by ‘admin’;
   (note “ERROR 1396 (HY000): Operation ALTER USER failed for ‘root’@’localhost'”)
5. mysql> ALTER USER ‘root’@’%’IDENTIFIED BY ‘admin’;
   (using quoted root ID, note syntax error “near ‘admin'”)

Thanks for your time and advice.