Can’t delete admin account

Diebeatles Said:

“This I s the trouble. I created a new user with administration settings but the original user is still greyed out. I can’t edit either the privileges or delete the account.”

Two Thoughts:

A. Create a Third Admin User:

What happens when you create a third Administrator User? See if you can delete the other two accounts.

Or, if that does not work, then...

B. Reinstall the macOS Anew:

Try This:

1. First, Backup your Mac, then

2. Then, install your macOS Mojave anew.

3. Finally, migrate it over.

In Depth:

1. Back up your Mac:

Start by Creating a Time Machine Backupof my Mac. That way I could be assured that Incan recover my Mac, should I need the App back or if anything goes wrong due to the removal. So, Create a Time Machine backup of your Mac, so that you can have something to restore your Mac from, should anything go wrong with the reinstall.

2. Use a USB Bootable Installer:

Create a USB Bootable Installer for Mojave. Delete the hard drive's partition. Then, install this macOS with. Go Here: How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support.

3. Migrate and Reinstall Data and Apps:

Next migrate it over from the Time Machine Backup you created in step 1 to this new install. If required, request from the developers new keys for the software, informing them that your computer crashed. Ask for 64-bit installers, if looking to install Mojave and upgrade thereafter.

Diebeatles Said:

"Can’t delete admin account: I’ve got a weird bug where I think I’ve got malware. If I search on safari it search yahoo via a link ldksearch.... I started a new user account and it didn’t have it so wanted to delete the user I had originall. However I can’t chnage the account from admin to standard. Any ideas?"

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Create a New Administrator User:

You need to use an Admin User. So, create one, and then transfer everything over to it(apps will stay). Once transferred, verify once more that this is fixed. If so, once all is transferred (i.e. documents and photos), then trash this current user.

ldksearch:

Idksearch probably means "I don't know search" (an assumption on my part).

Use MalwareBytes for Mac

This is software that searches for malware/adware. So, scan with it and then remove what is found. Once removed, uninstallMalwareBytes for Mac. Then restart the Mac.

Downloads:

1. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac
2. Malwarebytes uninstaller

Diebeatles wrote:

This I s the trouble. I created a new user with administration settings but the original user is still greyed out. I can’t edit either the privileges or delete the account.

FWIW, you cannot delete an account that's still logged in. Make sure to log out of the original account before trying to delete it from the new account.