Recover MySQL root Password

Question

We can reset the mysql password by using the mysqld_safe with --skip-grant-tables option.

1. Can we reset it without mysql restart?

Answer 1

1. No
2. No

And there is good reason of both No answers.

1. You can't just let any non-root user reset your root password without having full admin level access to the MySQL process on that host.
2. MySQL passwords (like Unix passwords) encryption is 1 way street, they can be reset but cannot be decrypted back.