Is it safe to delete folders for unused accounts in var/mail?












1














My colleague sadly died last year, and managed the Dovecot accounts on our ancient Ubuntu (6.10) server, and I know absolutely zero about Dovecot or email server admin.



We have several discontinued users on the server - all their sites are gone and their email accounts are no longer used.



Is it safe to simply delete the user email folders in var/mail e.g. var/mail/vhosts/username or should I manage this another way?










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  • 1




    Ubuntu 6.10 (2006.October release) reached EOL back in 2008-April, so I'd replace it as soon as possible for security-reasons. 6.10 was not a LTS or long-term-service release, so I'd suggest using a LTS release, and release-upgrading before they reach EOL (or pay to keep it supported thru ESM)
    – guiverc
    Jan 4 at 21:25










  • Yes, I know, but thanks for the reminder. sadly, my late co-dev used to handle several of the accounts on this server (including a complex theatre booking system) so I've been wary of breaking his (rather obscure to me) setup. I know he has a local Perl install the booking system depends on, I just have to find it, or get help to find my way around it.
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:51
















1














My colleague sadly died last year, and managed the Dovecot accounts on our ancient Ubuntu (6.10) server, and I know absolutely zero about Dovecot or email server admin.



We have several discontinued users on the server - all their sites are gone and their email accounts are no longer used.



Is it safe to simply delete the user email folders in var/mail e.g. var/mail/vhosts/username or should I manage this another way?










share|improve this question







New contributor




Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
















  • 1




    Ubuntu 6.10 (2006.October release) reached EOL back in 2008-April, so I'd replace it as soon as possible for security-reasons. 6.10 was not a LTS or long-term-service release, so I'd suggest using a LTS release, and release-upgrading before they reach EOL (or pay to keep it supported thru ESM)
    – guiverc
    Jan 4 at 21:25










  • Yes, I know, but thanks for the reminder. sadly, my late co-dev used to handle several of the accounts on this server (including a complex theatre booking system) so I've been wary of breaking his (rather obscure to me) setup. I know he has a local Perl install the booking system depends on, I just have to find it, or get help to find my way around it.
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:51














1












1








1







My colleague sadly died last year, and managed the Dovecot accounts on our ancient Ubuntu (6.10) server, and I know absolutely zero about Dovecot or email server admin.



We have several discontinued users on the server - all their sites are gone and their email accounts are no longer used.



Is it safe to simply delete the user email folders in var/mail e.g. var/mail/vhosts/username or should I manage this another way?










share|improve this question







New contributor




Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











My colleague sadly died last year, and managed the Dovecot accounts on our ancient Ubuntu (6.10) server, and I know absolutely zero about Dovecot or email server admin.



We have several discontinued users on the server - all their sites are gone and their email accounts are no longer used.



Is it safe to simply delete the user email folders in var/mail e.g. var/mail/vhosts/username or should I manage this another way?







mail-server dovecot






share|improve this question







New contributor




Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question







New contributor




Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question






New contributor




Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









asked Jan 4 at 19:22









Dave EverittDave Everitt

1084




1084




New contributor




Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Dave Everitt is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.








  • 1




    Ubuntu 6.10 (2006.October release) reached EOL back in 2008-April, so I'd replace it as soon as possible for security-reasons. 6.10 was not a LTS or long-term-service release, so I'd suggest using a LTS release, and release-upgrading before they reach EOL (or pay to keep it supported thru ESM)
    – guiverc
    Jan 4 at 21:25










  • Yes, I know, but thanks for the reminder. sadly, my late co-dev used to handle several of the accounts on this server (including a complex theatre booking system) so I've been wary of breaking his (rather obscure to me) setup. I know he has a local Perl install the booking system depends on, I just have to find it, or get help to find my way around it.
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:51














  • 1




    Ubuntu 6.10 (2006.October release) reached EOL back in 2008-April, so I'd replace it as soon as possible for security-reasons. 6.10 was not a LTS or long-term-service release, so I'd suggest using a LTS release, and release-upgrading before they reach EOL (or pay to keep it supported thru ESM)
    – guiverc
    Jan 4 at 21:25










  • Yes, I know, but thanks for the reminder. sadly, my late co-dev used to handle several of the accounts on this server (including a complex theatre booking system) so I've been wary of breaking his (rather obscure to me) setup. I know he has a local Perl install the booking system depends on, I just have to find it, or get help to find my way around it.
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:51








1




1




Ubuntu 6.10 (2006.October release) reached EOL back in 2008-April, so I'd replace it as soon as possible for security-reasons. 6.10 was not a LTS or long-term-service release, so I'd suggest using a LTS release, and release-upgrading before they reach EOL (or pay to keep it supported thru ESM)
– guiverc
Jan 4 at 21:25




Ubuntu 6.10 (2006.October release) reached EOL back in 2008-April, so I'd replace it as soon as possible for security-reasons. 6.10 was not a LTS or long-term-service release, so I'd suggest using a LTS release, and release-upgrading before they reach EOL (or pay to keep it supported thru ESM)
– guiverc
Jan 4 at 21:25












Yes, I know, but thanks for the reminder. sadly, my late co-dev used to handle several of the accounts on this server (including a complex theatre booking system) so I've been wary of breaking his (rather obscure to me) setup. I know he has a local Perl install the booking system depends on, I just have to find it, or get help to find my way around it.
– Dave Everitt
Jan 5 at 10:51




Yes, I know, but thanks for the reminder. sadly, my late co-dev used to handle several of the accounts on this server (including a complex theatre booking system) so I've been wary of breaking his (rather obscure to me) setup. I know he has a local Perl install the booking system depends on, I just have to find it, or get help to find my way around it.
– Dave Everitt
Jan 5 at 10:51










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















2














Yes, you can move the whole FS subtree to the another place or delete it. Also you have to remove or deactivate prior that account to prevent any email being delivered again. That will recreate the mailbox for certain valid user.






share|improve this answer





















  • Thanks I'll delete the unused folders. I guess if one reappears then that email is still in use somewhere (even if only for spam). How do I find where the location of these folders are set for user login accounts?
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:45






  • 1




    You have to explore the dovecot configuration to find out where the user information is stored. That can be configured in the various ways so there is no some universal recipee.
    – Kondybas
    Jan 5 at 20:24











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1 Answer
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active

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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

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active

oldest

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active

oldest

votes









2














Yes, you can move the whole FS subtree to the another place or delete it. Also you have to remove or deactivate prior that account to prevent any email being delivered again. That will recreate the mailbox for certain valid user.






share|improve this answer





















  • Thanks I'll delete the unused folders. I guess if one reappears then that email is still in use somewhere (even if only for spam). How do I find where the location of these folders are set for user login accounts?
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:45






  • 1




    You have to explore the dovecot configuration to find out where the user information is stored. That can be configured in the various ways so there is no some universal recipee.
    – Kondybas
    Jan 5 at 20:24
















2














Yes, you can move the whole FS subtree to the another place or delete it. Also you have to remove or deactivate prior that account to prevent any email being delivered again. That will recreate the mailbox for certain valid user.






share|improve this answer





















  • Thanks I'll delete the unused folders. I guess if one reappears then that email is still in use somewhere (even if only for spam). How do I find where the location of these folders are set for user login accounts?
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:45






  • 1




    You have to explore the dovecot configuration to find out where the user information is stored. That can be configured in the various ways so there is no some universal recipee.
    – Kondybas
    Jan 5 at 20:24














2












2








2






Yes, you can move the whole FS subtree to the another place or delete it. Also you have to remove or deactivate prior that account to prevent any email being delivered again. That will recreate the mailbox for certain valid user.






share|improve this answer












Yes, you can move the whole FS subtree to the another place or delete it. Also you have to remove or deactivate prior that account to prevent any email being delivered again. That will recreate the mailbox for certain valid user.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered Jan 4 at 20:40









KondybasKondybas

1514




1514












  • Thanks I'll delete the unused folders. I guess if one reappears then that email is still in use somewhere (even if only for spam). How do I find where the location of these folders are set for user login accounts?
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:45






  • 1




    You have to explore the dovecot configuration to find out where the user information is stored. That can be configured in the various ways so there is no some universal recipee.
    – Kondybas
    Jan 5 at 20:24


















  • Thanks I'll delete the unused folders. I guess if one reappears then that email is still in use somewhere (even if only for spam). How do I find where the location of these folders are set for user login accounts?
    – Dave Everitt
    Jan 5 at 10:45






  • 1




    You have to explore the dovecot configuration to find out where the user information is stored. That can be configured in the various ways so there is no some universal recipee.
    – Kondybas
    Jan 5 at 20:24
















Thanks I'll delete the unused folders. I guess if one reappears then that email is still in use somewhere (even if only for spam). How do I find where the location of these folders are set for user login accounts?
– Dave Everitt
Jan 5 at 10:45




Thanks I'll delete the unused folders. I guess if one reappears then that email is still in use somewhere (even if only for spam). How do I find where the location of these folders are set for user login accounts?
– Dave Everitt
Jan 5 at 10:45




1




1




You have to explore the dovecot configuration to find out where the user information is stored. That can be configured in the various ways so there is no some universal recipee.
– Kondybas
Jan 5 at 20:24




You have to explore the dovecot configuration to find out where the user information is stored. That can be configured in the various ways so there is no some universal recipee.
– Kondybas
Jan 5 at 20:24










Dave Everitt is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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