Level 1

143 points

How do I delete the user that was imported on a new Mac from a Time Machine backup?

I bought a new Mac and imported all data from my previous Mac using my Time Machine backup. Everything is running smoothly. The only "problem" I want to get rid of is the following:

On my new Mac I set up a new user as admin at the very beginning during the set up process and shortly after, when the new Mac started to import from my Time Machine back up, the user (admin) of my previous Mac got imported onto my new Mac. So now I have two users: One with admin rights and one user and want to get rid of. When unlocking the editing choices under >System Preferences >Users & Groups and clicking on the user (being signed in as the admin), I can't delete the user. The little minus ( - ) is greyed out. I can only add new users. How can I delete the second user?

MacBook Pro TouchBar and Touch ID, macOS High Sierra (10.13), 3.1GHz Quad Core i7, 16GB, 1TB

Posted on Oct 2, 2017 8:32 AM

Top-ranking reply

Mrs_Estalilla

Level 1

14 points

Posted on Nov 6, 2017 2:54 PM

I just had the same problem. My husband's account was also set to Admin (so I had two admin accounts on my Mac). I needed to delete it, because he never uses it and the iCloud there was set to old email I no longer use, so I couldn't log out from the iCloud. I had the same issue you are describing: logged into my admin account, click the padlock, his account can't be deleted because the ( - ) is greyed out. Here is the catch, and once I did that, it worked for me - just clicking on the account list at the top right corner (between the clock and the Siri icon) and switching to admin account you want to keep DOES NOT log you out of the airwalker account you want to delete. it simply switches between the users. You must click on the apple symbol on the top left corner and select "Log out Airwalker". Once I did that with my husband's account, I was able to successfully delete it after I logged in as the admin on my own account. Does that make sense?

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27 replies

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Oct 7, 2017 9:56 AM in response to leroydouglas

After follwing your instructions, I had to enter the password for the corresponding user in order to delete it. After entering it and pressing <enter> I receive the following message in the Terminal:

<main> delete status: eDSPermissionError

<dscl_cmd> DS Error: -14120 (eDSPermissionError)

How do I have to proceed? The user I want to delete is still there.

Oct 7, 2017 10:03 AM in response to airwalker

When you are asked for a password, type your own account password. You will have to type it blindly, there is no feedback for the password input; then press enter and the sudo command will be executed, assuming you entered the password correctly.

Lanny

Level 6

13,235 points

Oct 7, 2017 10:04 AM in response to airwalker

It's far easier to delete the account from System Preferences, User & Groups, click the padlock, enter your admin password, highlight the user that you want to delete, then press the minus button.

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Oct 7, 2017 10:25 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

That's what I did in Terminal after following the instructions of leroydouglas above. I typed in the password (using my admin account) for the user that I want to delete correctly, pressed enter and received the following message in Terminal:

<main> delete status: eDSPermissionError

<dscl_cmd> DS Error: -14120 (eDSPermissionError)

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Oct 7, 2017 11:02 AM in response to Lanny

Yes, I clicked on the padlock in User & Groups to try to delete the user account.

The account that I am currently using is my admin account.

Yes, I am logged out of the user account I want to delete (since I am logged in to the admin account).

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Oct 7, 2017 11:40 AM in response to Lanny

Thanks for this valuable information. The screenshot looks the same way on my computer, except that one account (the user account - not greyed out) does not have an orange sign next to it, which to my understanding means that it is NOT logged-in. I am currently logged-in with my admin user account (greyes out with orange sign next to it.

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Dec 3, 2017 6:05 AM in response to Mrs_Estalilla

In your case it makes sense, but it seems that we have slightly different problems: You have two admin accounts, I have an admin account (that was created by setting up my new Mac) and a standard account (that used to be an admin account on my old Mac and was migrated during the migration process). This standard account (former admin account of my old Mac) has a greyed out "-" and cannot be deleted on my new Mac when logged with my admin account.

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Dec 3, 2017 6:44 AM in response to cafournier

Thanks for this helpful link. I followed all points under OS X: Deleted user account reappears; or, cannot use automatic login for a certain user account - Apple Support but the user I want to delete can't be deleted. It's possible to click the "-" there and actually click on delete, but the user does not disappear after confirming the deletion. So in "Directory Utility" viewing "Users" in mode /Local/Default I tried to delete all single records, but the following records can't be deleted:

AppleMetaNodelLocation

RecordName

RecordType

So I am still searching for a solution to delete the unwanted user that got imported from my old Mac.

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Jan 8, 2018 3:42 PM in response to Lanny

Hi Lanny. I am considering re-installing macOS 10.13.2 using my Time Machine backup. How do I have to proceed after doing a last backup to my Time Machine and erasing the current macOS on my MBP? Will I have to select one of the two users I want to keep using Migration Assistant or will I have to NOT import any user from my TM backup and instead create a new user (admin) using the Setup Assistant? Will I get an option in regards to importing users from the backup or create a new one? Thank you for your help!

Feb 15, 2018 11:52 AM in response to airwalker

I am having the same issue. I deleted a hidden user and I saw in my console log it changed the cache_delete to a PID # and now when I open terminal it asks for "login:" and I type in my login and it doesn't work.

airwalker Author

Level 1

143 points

Oct 7, 2017 10:21 AM in response to Lanny

The little "-" is greyed out. Can't delete the second user from User & Groups in System Preferences (see first post / initial discussion).

Lanny

Level 6

13,235 points

Oct 7, 2017 11:09 AM in response to airwalker

(since I am logged in to the admin account).

Note: It is possible to be logged-in to multiple accounts at the same time.

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How do I delete the user that was imported on a new Mac from a Time Machine backup?