cant delete user account!!!

farhanali · 04-28-2003, 08:31 AM

hi

i tried to delete one account on my linux box and tried two methods ... both failed with the same reply

"vipw lockfile (/etc/ptmp) is present."

by using linux conf i was able to delete the users homedir, but when i the user is still listed and i can login with that userid and password, albeit with some warning messages.

by the way...i am using mandrake 9

thanks in advance
Farhan Ali

MasterC · 04-28-2003, 08:40 AM

You can simply delete the user from /etc/passwd if you'd like.

Also, I am not sure if it's distro specific, but as root try:
userdel -r username

And that should delete the user and their home directory.

Cool

trickykid · 04-28-2003, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by farhanali
by using linux conf i was able to delete the users homedir, but when i the user is still listed and i can login with that userid and password, albeit with some warning messages.

Just to point out, don't use linuxconf, as you can see its buggy and unstable. Its better to maybe use another GUI program that Mandrake might come installed with, webmin, etc or actually its just best to do it manually by the command like MasterC pointed out. Much more effecient.

benjaminrtz · 04-28-2003, 09:39 AM

Also u can use the drakxconf tools provided

by Mandrake

just type

drak<press tab>

u'll get the all draks tools

farhanali · 04-28-2003, 10:58 AM

thanks but still the same problem ... userdel -r username still gives the same message. userdrake also gives the same message

Farhan Ali

trickykid · 04-28-2003, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by farhanali
thanks but still the same problem ... userdel -r username still gives the same message. userdrake also gives the same message

Farhan Ali

Well, what does the file /etc/ptmp have in it that might be preventing you from removing a user? Does the file even exist?

This page might be of help in explaining what the ptmp file is and does: http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-...6/28/0004.html

farhanali · 04-29-2003, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by farhanali
thanks but still the same problem ... userdel -r username still gives the same message. userdrake also gives the same message

Farhan Ali

hey guys ... guess what ... as advised, i just deleted the info from /etc/passwd and viola... the account is gone.

i guess userdrake,userdel and linuxconf all are buggy...

Farhan Ali

trickykid · 04-29-2003, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by farhanali
hey guys ... guess what ... as advised, i just deleted the info from /etc/passwd and viola... the account is gone.

i guess userdrake,userdel and linuxconf all are buggy...

Well I never trust linuxconf but the others most likely aren't buggy, your passwd file was just locked somehow after a process that might have been accessing it or such didn't close or die properly.

But editing and configuring manually by hand will usually always work. You might not have the user no longer in the passwd file but if you want to completely remove the user, don't forget any home directories, mail spool directories and such to remove as well..