Comments - Cannot reset password for the root user in MariaDB (Mac keeps changing it on restart)

I can't help with Mac specifically, but take a look at Troubleshooting Connection Issues, in particular Authentication from MariaDB 10.4.

Note that if you're using any of the currently maintained versions (MariaDB 10.5+), the name of the binaries will be mariadb*, not mysql*

If you're still having problems, provide the version you're using, and, when you first install and have access, the contents of the global_priv table:

SELECT CONCAT(user, '@', host, ' => ', JSON_DETAILED(priv)) FROM mysql.global_priv;

Further reading:

• mariadb-secure-installation

Ok, let me answer your questions:

1. provide the version you're using

```sh
$ mariadb --version
mariadb from 11.4.2-MariaDB, client 15.2 for osx10.19 (arm64) using  EditLine wrapper
```

2. when you first install and have access, the contents of the global_priv table:

```sh
$ sudo mysql -uroot
Welcome to the MariaDB monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MariaDB connection id is 15
Server version: 11.4.2-MariaDB Homebrew

Copyright (c) 2000, 2018, Oracle, MariaDB Corporation Ab and others.

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

MariaDB [(none)]> SELECT CONCAT(user, '@', host, ' => ', JSON_DETAILED(priv)) FROM mysql.global_priv;
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| CONCAT(user, '@', host, ' => ', JSON_DETAILED(priv))                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| mariadb.sys@localhost => {
    "access": 0,
    "plugin": "mysql_native_password",
    "authentication_string": "",
    "account_locked": true,
    "password_last_changed": 0
}                                                                         |
| root@localhost => {
    "access": 18446744073709551615,
    "plugin": "mysql_native_password",
    "authentication_string": "invalid",
    "auth_or": 
    [
        {
        },
        {
            "plugin": "unix_socket"
        }
    ]
}        |
| victorcosta@localhost => {
    "access": 18446744073709551615,
    "plugin": "mysql_native_password",
    "authentication_string": "invalid",
    "auth_or": 
    [
        {
        },
        {
            "plugin": "unix_socket"
        }
    ]
} |
| PUBLIC@ => {
    "access": 0,
    "is_role": true
}                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| @localhost => {
}                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| @victors-macbook-pro.local => {
}                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
6 rows in set (0.002 sec)
```

3. Also, let me show here the list of the users and the local passwords, because some of these passwords are `invalid`, which is weird.

```sh
MariaDB [mysql]> select Host, User, Password from user;
+---------------------------+-------------+----------+
| Host                      | User        | Password |
+---------------------------+-------------+----------+
| localhost                 | mariadb.sys |          |
| localhost                 | root        | invalid  |
| localhost                 | victorcosta | invalid  |
|                           | PUBLIC      |          |
| localhost                 |             |          |
| victors-macbook-pro.local |             |          |
+---------------------------+-------------+----------+
6 rows in set (0.001 sec)
```

I formatted your output for you :)

"Invalid" as a password means that password authentication is disabled. See Authentication from MariaDB 10.4.

"some users may wish to log in as MariaDB root without using sudo. Hence the old authentication method — conventional MariaDB password — is still available. By default it is disabled (“invalid” is not a valid password hash), but one can set the password with a usual SET PASSWORD statement."