  Deleting an Account
  Carole Williams, carole@redhat.com


  When you delete an account, you need to decide what to do with the
  account's files. Remember that you can disable the account instead of
  deleting it. If there's a chance that the account will need to be
  activated in the future, you should just disable it (de-select "The
  account is enabled" on the screen containing the account's informa-
  tion).  If you're absolutely sure that no one will need the account in
  the future, then you may want to delete the account.
  ______________________________________________________________________

  Table of Contents


  1. Archiving the Account's Data

  2. Deleting the Account's Data

  3. Leaving the Account's Data in Place


  ______________________________________________________________________

  11..  AArrcchhiivviinngg tthhee AAccccoouunntt''ss DDaattaa


  If you delete an account, you can choose to archive the account's
  data. The users' files will be tarred, gzipped and saved in the
  oldaccounts directory in the default home directory.

  For example, if you're archiving a login account's data, the user's
  home directory (probably /home/username) and the user's e-mail inbox
  (probably /var/spool/mail/username) will be tarred, gzipped and saved
  in the /home/oldaccounts directory. These paths will vary according to
  the default home directory on your system.

  If you decide at a later time that you need data from the user's
  files, you can use tar and gzip to recover the files.  If you need to
  conserve storage space, you may choose to move the tarred and gzipped
  file to a storage site off your system.


  22..  DDeelleettiinngg tthhee AAccccoouunntt''ss DDaattaa


  If you choose to delete the account's data when deleting an account,
  the files in the account's home directory and e-mail inbox file will
  be deleted from the system.  Don't choose this option unless you're
  absolutely certain that you won't need any of the account's data in
  the future.


  33..  LLeeaavviinngg tthhee AAccccoouunntt''ss DDaattaa iinn PPllaaccee


  If you delete an account, but leave the account's data in place, the
  account's home directory and e-mail inbox will remain in place on your
  system.