So I had MySQL installed on my machine some time back but stopped using it for a while. When I tried to get back into it recently, I completely blanked on what password I had set up. Since I couldn’t figure out how to reset it properly, I decided to just uninstall the whole thing and start fresh.
But now after reinstalling MySQL, something seems off. The installation process felt different than before and now when I try to run it, things aren’t working like they should. Has anyone else run into this kind of problem? What’s the best way to do a complete clean install of MySQL to avoid these weird leftover issues?
Had this same problem six months ago. Turned out the Windows registry still had leftover MySQL stuff that the regular uninstaller missed. I’d removed all the program files and cleared AppData, but MySQL services and config entries were still hanging around.
Here’s what fixed it: Use MySQL Installer’s remove function instead of Windows Add/Remove Programs. Then check Services.msc to make sure no MySQL services are still running. After that, run a registry cleaner to grab any leftover keys before you reinstall.
Worked perfectly - the second install acted like a brand new setup.
same here! those leftover files can really screw things up. make sure to dig into your AppData folder and wipe any MySQL stuff out. after that, reinstalling should do the trick for ya!