Delete (-) for user account dimmed.

Question

I had created a “Guest Account” that I would now like to delete, however I cannot. When I log into my administrator account, go to System Preferences and unlock the lock to allow changes and then select the guest account, the delete [-] for the guest account is dimmed. How do I get rid of this account?

Answer 1

Within the guest account, was there any higher privilege given to make it
equal to your main Admin account? In those cases where a secondary
account was given high privilege, that would have to be revoked prior to
being able to simply remove the account from the system.
Some access from the guest account may be holding up the delete process.
(This is an area where I have only read several things about; however I did
add a link and quote to this reply which may be of help if nothing else works.
But it has a limited answer, too; the main command is dimmed out, inviting
you to try other advanced or even routine maintenance on your computer.)
An account access permissions issue may likely only be a maintenance matter.
But check the settings used to create and maintain the Guest user accounts.
*See this topic:* "How do I completely disable the Guest Account in Leopard?"
http://www.askdavetaylor.com/completelydisable_guest_account_mac_os_xleopard.html
Sometimes, issues within accounts, users and privileges go odd; it may
be you would need to repair disk and disk permissions from the booted
Installer's Disk Utility version. Also, check and repair anything in the OS
that may have been lacking. There are times where general maintenance
is a way to fix odd issues that otherwise have no explanation.
Have you started the computer into SafeBoot, and when then in the admin
account, see about removing the guest or other user; or at least try to make
the settings function? Some extensions and system bits are inactive when
the computer system is booted into SafeBoot Mode, but you can use this to
an advantage since it does a basic repair on startup. Then run Disk Utility,
and its 'repair disk permissions' then when done, quit D.U. & restart normally.
There are several Support documents on the topic of user accounts and how
to manage them; some troubleshooting of them involves reading up on the
variable and ways you can change the settings. I'd use caution since there is
a way to Delete a Guest User Account that involves the terminal or root level
and fair attention to detail is required so as to not affect more than the one item.
A post in this Discussion tread tells of how to delete a guest user account:
http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1521487
From May 14, 2008 as contributed by V.K. to resolve another user's problem:
+"From an admin account uncheck the option enabling Guest account in accounts+
+system preferences and then enter the following command in terminal.+
*sudo dscl . delete /users/Guest*
+Please just copy and paste the above. That's very important, you don't want+
+to delete a wrong thing here. You'll have to enter your admin password which+
+you won't see (that's normal).+
*This command will delete the Guest user.*
+Now go to the accounts preferences and enable Guest. This should create+
+Guest user afresh and hopefully resolve the password issue. Restart and+
+try the guest user again. Double check and make sure that it's enabled."+
{This last part, should you need to re-create a guest user again.}
While I have not tried this, nor have I ever created a Guest User account in
any of my dozens of Macs, (prefer to create Standard user for daily use; or
try the Parental Controls to minimize damages an inexperienced user may
create in the process of over-reaching their grasp) I can see it may be handy.
Hopefully some of the above may be helpful. Usually if a system function is
acting oddly, sticks, or won't work correctly, some systematic maintenance
is likely behind the situation. To have and run AppleJack from single user or
perform other preventative actions to head off possible issues, are ideas, too.
Since I don't use AppleJack, and seldom need to run in the command line or
single user or terminal mode, some of that is out of my range. I've found most
of the issues I've read about can be prevented. However, if a user gets into the
OS and can move things around, trash or misplace important parts, etc; odd
things can happen. Unfriendly or careless/unwanted user access can mess it up.
Usually about once a month whether or not the computer needs it, I run OnyX
and have it complete all items check-marked in Automation, and have it set to
restart the computer when that group is finished. There are other tools in it, too.
Perhaps the combination of things can help; or just what Dave Taylor said.
Good luck & happy computing!
+{ edited to add more confusion }+