How Do I Fix 'Old Authentication' Errors When Connecting to MySQL 4.1 ?

Overcoming Authentication Errors in MySQL 4.1

When attempting to connect to a MySQL database, users may encounter an error message regarding "old authentication." This issue arises when connecting to MySQL 4.1 or later versions using traditional password hashing methods.

Identifying the Root Cause

Prior to MySQL 4.1, a distinct password hashing scheme was employed. However, newer versions introduced the option of utilizing both old and new password formats. Configurations that enable old passwords can occasionally lead to this connection error.

Resolving the Issue

To determine if the error stems from old password settings, execute the following SQL query:

SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'old_passwords'

If the result indicates 'Off,' this suggests that the error may be caused by existing old password entries in the user table. In this case, creating new passwords for the affected accounts should resolve the issue.

To verify which hashing method will be used for a specific account, consult the 'mysql.user' table:

SELECT `User`, `Host`, Length(`Password`) FROM mysql.user

Accounts with old passwords will have a password length of 16, while those with new passwords will have a length of 41. If necessary, reset the password using the following syntax:

SET PASSWORD FOR 'User'@'Host'=PASSWORD('yourpassword');
FLUSH Privileges;

Once the password is updated, the password length should reflect the adoption of the new hashing method, and connection errors should be eliminated.

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