Hi @edharris
Since the root user password seems to be working. The next step is to ensure that the root user has remote access privileges. You can copy the SQL command from another thread to do this.
Let us know how it goes. 
None of those instructions are working for me, and now when I try to go back and replicate the previous step in my last message, I’m getting the access denied message again.
I’m sorry I’m not super familiar with the terminal, docker, etc, but I’m doing my best to follow along with the instructions. I’d love to be able to use DevKinsta for local development integrated with my Kinsta account (the same way I used to with WP Engine and Local) but having to work through this level of troubleshooting to get it working is really challenging. Is there a plan to roll out an update to DevKinsta that fixes this issue? It seems to have been reported in various forms for 3+ years now.
I completely agree, I am coming from the same workflow in WPE. I have followed all steps meticulously again today, including these new ones, and got to the final steps where it asked to grant privileges in the SQL and I got:
ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user ‘root’@‘localhost’ (using password: YES)
ERROR 1227 (42000): Access denied; you need (at least one of) the RELOAD privilege(s) for this operation
MariaDB [(none)]>
Hi Adrian, I am still trying with this one. And followed these steps, got access to the DB then came to do the privileges but and got:
ERROR 1045 (28000): Access denied for user ‘root’@‘localhost’ (using password: YES)
ERROR 1227 (42000): Access denied; you need (at least one of) the RELOAD privilege(s) for this operation
MariaDB [(none)]>
At this stage, it may be simpler to completely uninstall both DevKinsta and Docker Desktop and start from scratch. Please note that this is only recommended if you are prepared to lose any existing WordPress data from your current DevKinsta app.
To uninstall both DevKinsta and Docker Desktop, please do the following:
- Delete all existing DevKinsta Containers, Images, and Volume within the Docker Desktop. (You may need to stop the container first if they are running before Docker Desktop will allow you to delete the container)
- Uninstall both the DevKinsta app and Docker Desktop.
- After the Apps have been uninstalled, make sure that these folders are deleted.
/Users/<yourusername>/Library/Application Support/DevKinsta
/Users/<yourusername>/Library/Logs/DevKinsta
- Reinstall DevKinsta and Docker Desktop.
If the problem still persists, please share with us again the latest DevKinsta main.log file located at:
/Users/<yourusername>/Library/Logs/DevKinsta
it will be the third time I have done this, but OK, lets give it another go. I’ll come back to you with the log file.
Hi Adrian, log file sent.
Hello @Phease69 
I’m sorry to hear this still persists. I do notice that the error has code 1044, instead of 1045 we usually see but it’s the same output - the access is denied to superadmin user for some reason.
Please test a different solution posted here.
-
Stop and remove the DB container:
docker rm -f devkinsta_db -
Remove the DB volume:
docker volume rm devkinsta_db_data -
Recreate the DB container using the password shown in
docker inspect:
docker run -d --name devkinsta_db \
--network devkinsta_network \
-e MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD=<password from inspect> \
-v devkinsta_db_data:/var/lib/mysql \
kinsta/devkinsta_db:1.3.6
- Verify authentication works:
docker exec -it devkinsta_db mysql -uroot -p<password> -e "SELECT 1;"
I get this… “zsh: no such file or directory: password”
Ah wait, I realised I copied the commands in full and there is a password bit. Sorry, I am not a terminal user, so this stuff might as well be in Chinese for all I understand it! Just trying to muddle through. Ironically the reason I want to use DevKinsta is to avoid all this stuff! But I think it might have worked. I am testing now.
This seems to be the error now, and happens when I try to import a site from Kinsta:
[2026-06-09 16:45:07.154] [error] [ipcMainStep] Error in operation SITE_CREATION, step rsync: Error: Encountered an error in child process 16273: 23. rsync error: some files/attrs were not transferred (see previous errors) (code 23) at main.c(1861) [generator=3.2.7]
It starts to download the files, gets to almost complete, then fires this error.
I can confirm though, that I can now create blank new sites, which I couldn’t do before, so that bit seems to be working. We just now need to fix the ability to pull sites from the Kinsta host .
Hi @Phease69 ! Can you please DM the name of the site in question to myself, @Adrian_L , @merineth, and @VladimirM so we can check the site on MyKinsta?
The error in question:
some files/attrs were not transferred
usually indicates a permissions issue or a broken symlink on the original site.
Howdy @Phease69 ,
Thanks for hanging in there and sharing as you go friend.
I took a look at the main.log file you shared, as well as the staging site you indicated failed the pull.
Just to rule out permissions, I reset the file permissions for that staging environment.
When you have a chance, may you try the following steps, but first a warning:
WARNING: Following the steps below will delete the databases for any other local sites you currently have running in DevKinsta. If you have other local sites you need to keep, you must export their databases via Adminer first.
Now, the steps:
- Close DevKinsta.
- Open Docker Desktop.
- On the left-hand sidebar, click on Volumes.
- Find the volume named
devkinsta_db_dataand delete it. - Restart DevKinsta.
The rationale here is that when checking the main.log.
DevKinsta gets all the way to the database step of creating your site “owenreed” and then this happens (lines 2046–2047):
Command 'mysql -u root -p****** -e "create database Owen_Reed;"' on devkinsta_db finished with exit code 1
[ipcMainStep] Error in operation SITE_CREATION, step database:
Error (1): ERROR 1044 (42000) at line 1: Access denied for user 'root'@'localhost' to database 'Owen_Reed'
In other words, root can log in but has lost its CREATE/global privileges. That points to a corrupted or incomplete grant table inside the DB container’s data volume, usually from an unclean shutdown, a Docker Desktop update mid-run, or a half-finished password reset.
When DevKinsta boots up, it should notice the missing volume, recreate the devkinsta_db container with the correct root permissions, and you should be able to pull or create your “Owen Reed” site successfully. Once you’ve given this a try, please let us know how it goes.