diff --git a/scripts/install-wordpress.sh b/scripts/install-wordpress.sh
index b50331e..5484ee2 100644
--- a/scripts/install-wordpress.sh
+++ b/scripts/install-wordpress.sh
@@ -325,24 +325,31 @@ if [[ "$PERFORM_DB_ROOT_RESET" == "true" ]]; then
     info "$MYSQLD_SAFE_CMD started in background (PID: $MYSQLD_SAFE_PID). Waiting for it to initialize..."
     sleep 10 # Allow generous time for safe mode startup
 
+    # Generate a simpler password without special characters to avoid auth issues
+    new_root_password=$(openssl rand -base64 12 | tr -dc 'a-zA-Z0-9' | head -c 16)
+    info "Using simplified password format: $new_root_password"
+
     info "Attempting to reset root password using mysql client..."
     # Use sudo for mysql command connecting via socket as root
     if ! sudo mysql --protocol=socket -u root <<-EOF &> /dev/null
 FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
 ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '$new_root_password';
-FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
-EXIT
-EOF
-    then
-        warning "Failed 'ALTER USER' reset attempt (may be normal). Trying root@127.0.0.1..."
-        if ! sudo mysql --protocol=socket -u root <<-EOF &> /dev/null
-FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
 ALTER USER 'root'@'127.0.0.1' IDENTIFIED BY '$new_root_password';
 FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
 EXIT
+EOF
+    then
+        warning "Failed 'ALTER USER' reset attempt (may be normal). Trying alternative syntax..."
+        # Try the mysql_native_password plugin explicitly
+        if ! sudo mysql --protocol=socket -u root <<-EOF &> /dev/null
+FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
+ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY '$new_root_password';
+ALTER USER 'root'@'127.0.0.1' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY '$new_root_password';
+FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
+EXIT
 EOF
         then
-            warning "Failed 'ALTER USER root@127.0.0.1' reset attempt. Trying legacy 'UPDATE' method..."
+            warning "Failed with native password plugin. Trying legacy 'UPDATE' method..."
              # Fallback for older MySQL/MariaDB versions
             if ! sudo mysql --protocol=socket -u root <<-EOF &> /dev/null
 FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
@@ -402,11 +409,25 @@ info "Creating WordPress database '$DB_NAME' and user '$DB_USER'..."
 SQL_COMMAND=$(printf "CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS \`%s\` CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci; CREATE USER IF NOT EXISTS '%s'@'%s' IDENTIFIED BY '%s'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON \`%s\`.* TO '%s'@'%s'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;" \
     "$DB_NAME" "$DB_USER" "$DB_HOST" "$DB_PASSWORD" "$DB_NAME" "$DB_USER" "$DB_HOST")
 
-# Use the DB_ROOT_PASS (either provided or newly generated)
+# Try connecting to localhost via socket first if TCP connection fails
 if ! mysql -u "$DB_ROOT_USER" -p"$DB_ROOT_PASS" -h "$DB_HOST" -e "$SQL_COMMAND"; then
-    error_exit "Failed to execute SQL command to create WordPress database/user. Check MySQL/MariaDB logs and permissions for '$DB_ROOT_USER'."
+    warning "Failed to connect via TCP ($DB_HOST). Trying socket connection to localhost..."
+    if ! mysql -u "$DB_ROOT_USER" -p"$DB_ROOT_PASS" --protocol=socket -e "$SQL_COMMAND"; then
+        # If socket fails too, try with no password (in case reset made blank password)
+        warning "Socket connection failed too. Trying without password..."
+        if ! mysql -u "$DB_ROOT_USER" --protocol=socket -e "$SQL_COMMAND"; then
+            error_exit "Failed to execute SQL command to create WordPress database/user. Check MySQL/MariaDB logs and permissions for '$DB_ROOT_USER'."
+        else
+            warning "Connected without password! MySQL root has no password now."
+            # Update the root password again to be sure
+            SECURE_ROOT_SQL="ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '$DB_ROOT_PASS'; FLUSH PRIVILEGES;"
+            mysql -u "$DB_ROOT_USER" --protocol=socket -e "$SECURE_ROOT_SQL" || warning "Could not secure root user with password!"
+        fi
+    fi
+    success "Database '$DB_NAME' and user '$DB_USER' created successfully via socket connection."
+else
+    success "Database '$DB_NAME' and user '$DB_USER' created successfully."
 fi
-success "Database '$DB_NAME' and user '$DB_USER' created successfully."
 
 # --- WordPress Core File Setup ---
 info "Ensuring WordPress files are present in: $WP_ROOT"