Incomplete deletion of user account

[Barry]

I wanted to uninstall a database from XP Home, that was set up as a separate
user (postgres), and uninstall all related files (everything from
C:\cygwin). I deleted the postgres account...sort of, but there were still
files with permissions set so only postgres could delete them, and turning
off "read only" in the Properties box for any of those files from the
Owner's account (which supposedly had administrator rights) didn't give the
Owner the right to delete those files. After applying new file attributes
with an empty "read only" check box, I'd try to delete the file, I'd get an
"access denied" error, then I'd go back to check the attributes and the
"read only" box would be filled in again.

Anyway, I eventually learned about CACLS, which I couldn't get to work, and
about the extended permission controls available when logging on in safe
mode, which are too complicated, but worked, and now the files with the
problem-permissions are gone, but some remnants of postgres's account
remain.

While in safe mode, under Administrator, I saw that the user with permission
to delete the files was called "Account Unknown (...)." There was a long
code in those parenthesis. Even after I transferred ownership for the files
I'd been wanting to delete, and deleted them, I found the code for "Account
Unknown" in the registry under ProfileList. I opened that folder from the
registry and saw several names and associated data. One item was
"C:\Documents and Settings\postgres". I used Explorer to check out
C:\Documents and Settings\postgres and saw that it contained numerous files.

Could I safely delete the registry entry containing the "unknown user" code,
and delete C:\Documents and Settings\postgres? Does their existence mean I
mistakenly chose an option to keep these elements of the account when I
deleted the account (I got that idea from
http://www.pcanswers.co.uk/tutorials/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=28638&subsectionid=607:
"Select the user and click 'Delete the account'. Next, you'll be able to
choose either a full or partial removal of the account. Delete Files gets
rid of everything, while Keep Files maintains the user's Desktop and My
Documents folder."). Is there anything else I should do to completely remove
anything related to the deleted postgres account?

Thanks,
Barry

 

[Barry]

I discovered Delprof at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...familyid=901A9B95-6063-4462-8150-360394E98E1E,
which let me select the name of the user who's profile I wanted deleted
(postgres) and automatically deleted C:\Documents and Settings\postgres and
the registry entry. I had to call it from the command line with the "/p"
parameter, otherwise it just gives the option to delete inactive profiles
and closes if you enter "n".

That Microsoft web page refers to a graphical interface, but doesn't say how
to get it. I wonder if I'd need the entire Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit
for for the GUI.

Barry

 

[Ronnie Vernon MVP]

I discovered Delprof at
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...familyid=901A9B95-6063-4462-8150-360394E98E1E,
which let me select the name of the user who's profile I wanted
deleted (postgres) and automatically deleted C:\Documents and
Settings\postgres and
the registry entry. I had to call it from the command line with the
"/p"
parameter, otherwise it just gives the option to delete inactive
profiles
and closes if you enter "n".

That Microsoft web page refers to a graphical interface, but doesn't
say how
to get it. I wonder if I'd need the entire Windows Server 2003
Resource Kit
for for the GUI.

Barry

The graphical interface mentioned is the User Accounts module in Control
Panel, which will not completely delete a profile if certain permissions or
file attributes are set, as you have already seen. The Delprof tool is used
for completely deleting these profiles. You solved your problem.

--
Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

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