Can't reset root password with --skip-grant-tables on ubuntu 16

I am trying to reset the root password following [MysqlPasswordReset][1] but when I try to start the server with --skip-grant-tables the server doesn't start - Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS (GNU/Linux 4.4.0-59-generic x86_64) - mysql Ver 14.14 Distrib 5.7.17, for Linux (x86_64) Server is running $ mysql -u root ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' (using password: NO) Stop server $ sudo /etc/init.d/mysql stop [ ok ] Stopping mysql (via systemctl): mysql.service. Trying to start with --skip-grant-tables sudo /usr/sbin/mysqld --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking & [1] 9856 [1]: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MysqlPasswordReset Connect with no password $ mysql -u root ERROR 2002 (HY000): Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock' (2) [1]+ Exit 1 sudo /usr/sbin/mysqld --skip-grant-tables --skip-networking I also tried to start with mysql_safe (error.log is empty) sudo mysqld_safe --skip-grant-tables 2017-02-01T16:33:31.382105Z mysqld_safe Logging to syslog. 2017-02-01T16:33:31.383942Z mysqld_safe Logging to '/var/log/mysql/error.log'. 2017-02-01T16:33:31.386058Z mysqld_safe Logging to '/var/log/mysql/error.log'. 2017-02-01T16:33:31.388009Z mysqld_safe Directory '/var/run/mysqld' for UNIX socket file don't exists.