*BSD News Article 93662


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From: Jari Kokko <nobody@nowhere.net>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: removing a user
Date: 16 Apr 1997 10:42:45 +0300
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology
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References: <01bc49d8$83b56cc0$e60862ce@zero.super-highway.net> <5j1egh$7fk@lace.colorado.edu>
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In article <5j1egh$7fk@lace.colorado.edu>,
Frank Crary <fcrary@rintintin.Colorado.EDU> wrote:
> I'd try brute force and ignorance. Edit the /etc/passwd file and
> delete the line containing the user's name. Then remove the
> user's home directory by hand, with rm -r * and rmdir.

I'd change the encrypted password to a '*' and the shell to
'/non/exist.ent'. This can probably be done with a script...

That way, if e.g. files owned by the user retain the original
owner information. Of course, if you run low on UID's you have to clean
up. But I guess the max uid value is at least 32767.

Jari Kokko