change root password

[Mike Krawczyk]

Please forgive me.  I have searched all over for help with this problem
to no avail.  I have just installed from RPM mysql 3.23.22-6 on a RedHat
7.0 system.  I keep getting the message mysqladmin: cannot connect to
server at 'localhost' failed
error; Can't connect to local MySql server through socket
'/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
check that mysqld is running and that socket: /var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
exists.

I am using the command: mysqladmin -u root password 'newpassword'

Mysqld is running and the file mysql.sock exists.

I am new to this.  Any help appreciated.