WampServer

I completed reading the thread at [forum.wampserver.com] and applying the recommended configuration changes, including those to the file at apps/phpmyadmin4.0.4/confic.inc.php:

<?php

/* Servers configuration */
$i = 0;

$cfg['blowfish_secret'] = 'a8b7c6d'; //Change this to something else

/* Server: localhost [1] */
$i++;
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['extension'] = 'mysqli';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'config';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user'] = 'root';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] = '';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['AllowNoPassword'] = false;

// Remove the Configuration storage warning about pmadb
$cfg['PmaNoRelation_DisableWarning'] = true;
/* End of servers configuration */

?>

As soon as I updated the root user record with a password I got an error in phpMyAdmin:

Error

MySQL said: Documentation
Cannot connect: invalid settings.

I can store my credentials in this file (config.inc.php) but that seems to me to defeat the purpose of assigning the root user a password in the first place. This is what I did for the purpose of applying the same password to the other two root user records. I also deleted the "Any" account.

Do I have to store the credentials in this file or can phpMyAdmin prompt me? How do I set it up to do that?

After reading the wiki it seems that this is the intended functionality. Sorry for asking an obvious question!

If you set a password on the root userid before changing the $cfg['Servers'][$i]['AllowNoPassword'] = false;

Then you should not have a problem.

Setting the config back to

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'cookie';
/* Server parameters */
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['host'] = 'localhost';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['connect_type'] = 'tcp';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['compress'] = false;
/* Select mysql if your server does not have mysqli */
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['extension'] = 'mysqli';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['AllowNoPassword'] = false;
$cfg['PmaNoRelation_DisableWarning'] = true;

should then work perfectly well.

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(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-

how to solve phpmyadmin 403 forbidden error

Try using this address

[127.0.0.1]

If that works then you need this line in your hosts file.

::1 localhost

HOW TO EDIT THE HOSTS FILE
The hosts file is protected by windows, in order to save it you must have Administrator privilages.
Vista/W7/W8 you may think you are an Administrator BUT YOU ARE NOT.

To successfully save the hosts file do this to launch your editor with Admin Privilages.

Locate your editors icon on the desktop or from the Start menus ( notepad will do if you have nothing else )
left click + shift over your chosen editor icon - will show a menu.
select "Run As Administrator" from the menu.
Navigate your editor to the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file.

When you have made changes you will now be allowed to save them.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Windows 10 Pro 64bit) (Wampserver 3.3.4 64bit) Aestan Tray Menu 3.2.5.4
<Apache versions MULTIPE> <PHP versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Versions MULTIPLE>
<MariaDB versions MULTIPLE> <phpMyAdmin versions MULTIPLE> <MySQL Workbench 8.0.23>
Read The Manuals Apache -- MySQL -- PHP -- phpMyAdmin
Get your Apache/MySQL/mariaDB/PHP ADDONs here from the WAMPServer alternate Repo
-X-X-X- Backup your databases regularly Here is How dont regret it later! Yes even when developing -X-X-X-