userdel(1M)															       userdel(1M)

NAME

       userdel - delete a user login from the system

SYNOPSIS

       alternate_password_file] login

DESCRIPTION

       The command deletes a user login from the system by modifying the appropriate login related files.

       The  command requires the login argument.  login is the name to be deleted, specified as a string of printable characters.  It may not con-
       tain a colon or a newline

       Refer to usergroupname(5) to understand the functionality changes with the Numeric User Group Name feature.

   Options
       recognizes the following options:

	      The home directory of
			login is removed from the system.  This directory must exist.  Following the successful execution of this command, none of
			the files and directories under the home directory will be available.

			If a user is deleted and the home directory is shared by others, then this directory is not deleted even with the option.

	      Force the changes, even if the login is currently in use.

	      Specify that the changes are being made to the alternate
			password file of NIS specified by the option.  The and options should not be used with this option.

	      Specify the path of the alternate password file of NIS.
			The option is used with the option.

       In  the event where a directory is shared by users of the same group and the owner of that directory is deleted, then the ownership of that
       directory is propagated to the next user who is sharing that directory.	The new owner is determined by looking at the order in	which  the
       users  sharing  this  directory	are added to the file.	If there is only one user remaining then the directory is brought back to unshared
       mode by resetting the permissions to from

   NIS
       This command is aware of NIS user and group entries.  Only local users and groups may be deleted or modified with this  command.   Attempts
       to  delete or modify NIS users or groups will result in an error.  NIS users and groups must be administered from the NIS server.  The com-
       mand may fail with the error

       (return value 6) if the user specified is an NIS user (see passwd(4)).  The error

       (return value 10) is returned if a local user belongs to an NIS group (see group(4)).

   NFS
       Errors may occur with the option if the affected directory is within an NFS mounted file system that does not allow root privileges  across
       the NFS mount, and the directory or files within the directory do not have sufficient permissions.

RETURN VALUE

       exits with one of the following values:

	      Successful completion.

	      Invalid command syntax.

	      Invalid argument supplied to an option.

	      The  login to be removed does not exist.

	      The  login to be removed is in use.

	      Cannot modify the
		   file, but the login was removed from the file.

	      Unable to remove or modify the home directory.

	      Unable to open
		   file or file is non-existent.

	      file or
		   file busy.  Another command may be modifying the file.

	      Cannot delete entry from
		   file.

	      Out of memory.

	      Invalid template file.

EXAMPLES

       Remove the user from the system:

       Remove the user from the system and delete home directory from the system:

WARNINGS

       Because	many users may try to write the file simultaneously, a password locking mechanism was devised.	If this locking fails after subse-
       quent retrying, terminates.

FILES

       Shadow Password file
       System Password file
       System group file
       Lock file used when updating password file

SEE ALSO

       passwd(1), users(1), groupadd(1M), groupdel(1M), groupmod(1M), logins(1M), useradd(1M), usermod(1M), group(4), passwd(4), shadow(4),  user-
       groupname(5).

STANDARDS CONFORMANCE

																       userdel(1M)