delete a user when the user is logged in

[comus]

From the beginning, I am not an exercised admin for linux but I have to take on this function in my new job. First I want to delete the account of my perdecessor, but he is still logged in. So here are two questions:

1) how can I loggof the user
2) how can I set an account inactive, I think this is a better way, than to delete the account at the moment.

thanks for help

[jsmidt]

To disable the account , type (as root or using sudo):

Code: Select all

 passwd -l username 

This locks the account. Type:

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 man passwd 

For more information on how this locks the account. To activate the account you need to unlock it (as root):

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  passwd -u username 

which the manpage shows how to do as well.[/quote]

[Jeroen]

You can logout the user by killing his processes. Type "ps -u username" to see what they are, and whether you think you could safely kill them.

It is normally polite to ask the user whether there's till some mail or data that the user wants to retain and provide a way to get at it.

Just locking the account might not lock everything of it, ssh keybased might still work (not sure), commands started by incoming mail from procmail, cronjobs, atjobs, and other ways.

[comus]

Thanks for your answer. I don't want to delete the files from the user, so I will set the account inactive.