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Old 06-17-2021, 12:10 AM   #1
Secahl
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I think cmd : "groupdel groupname" just only deleted groupname and not everything inside it


Hello Guys..
I wanted to delete a group and used command {"groupdel groupname"} and it just deleted the groupname and not everything inside the group as using cmd{"groups"}, I am seeing {"groups: cannot find name for group ID 998"} at the end. The group is still there.. How can i delete it..
 
Old 06-17-2021, 01:19 AM   #2
pan64
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Hello Secahl, welcome at LQ!

Unfortunately I do not really understand what is it all about. Which language is it? What kind of group is it? What do you want to delete at all?

If you mean the groupdel command, see the man page:
Quote:
The groupdel command modifies the system account files, deleting all entries that refer to GROUP. The named group must exist.
It will only remove the group name from system files, nothing more.
 
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Old 06-17-2021, 02:47 AM   #3
Secahl
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Hi Pan64, thankyou.
I dont know how the group got added .
Name of the group was nordvpn
I remember installing nordvpn config file for my openvpn but i dont remember creating a group.
It might be that nordvpn creates a group for itself by default during installation.
So I search the web and found the command 'groupdel groupname' to delete a group
So I used cmd "groupdel nordvpn"
And recheked with groups and id command.
I can see now the nordvpn is gone but there is a 998

A) With cmd 'groups':
Before deletion: secahl cdrom floppy sudo audio dip video plugdev netdev bluetooth scanner kaboxer nordvpn

After deletion: secahl cdrom floppy sudo audio dip video plugdev netdev bluetooth scanner kaboxer groups: cannot find name for group ID 998
998

B) With cmd 'id':
Before deletion: uid=1000(secahl) gid=1000(secahl) groups=1000(secahl),24(cdrom),25(floppy),27(sudo),29(audio),30(dip),44(video),46(plugdev),109(netdev ),119(bluetooth),133(scanner),141(kaboxer),998(nordvpn)

After deletion: uid=1000(secahl) gid=1000(secahl) groups=1000(secahl),24(cdrom),25(floppy),27(sudo),29(audio),30(dip),44(video),46(plugdev),109(netdev ),119(bluetooth),133(scanner),141(kaboxer),998

You see that the group is still there.
Is it fine to leave as it is or do i have to delete the 998 also.
If so how to do so.
 
Old 06-17-2021, 04:10 AM   #4
pan64
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in general that is ok, will not harm anything, but you can remove it if you wish.
https://unix.stackexchange.com/quest...r-from-a-group
 
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Old 06-17-2021, 03:01 PM   #5
sundialsvcs
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Also – if the "nordvpn" install created a group ... as installers sometimes do ... you probably will break something if you remove it. Proceed with caution.
 
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Old 06-17-2021, 03:37 PM   #6
michaelk
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Usually the affects of changes to groups are not seen until the user logs out and then back in.
 
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Old 06-17-2021, 11:56 PM   #7
pan64
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sundialsvcs View Post
Also – if the "nordvpn" install created a group ... as installers sometimes do ... you probably will break something if you remove it. Proceed with caution.
Oh yes, I guess OP uninstalled that software completely and only that group was not removed.
 
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Old 06-18-2021, 08:53 AM   #8
Secahl
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Thank you guys.
You guys are awesome.
I am glad i found this site.
 
Old 06-18-2021, 07:44 PM   #9
computersavvy
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Having an unused group is totally harmless. Yes it is nice to not have things hanging around, but having the group there causes no problems so to me that seems a non-issue.
 
  


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