Unable to remove additional FTP account: /usr/sbin/userdel execution failed

Symptoms

• Unable to remove additional FTP account in Domains > example.com > FTP Access:

  PLESK_ERROR: Unable to execute usermng: usermng: /usr/sbin/userdel execution failed:
  userdel: user exampleuser is currently used by process 5022
  usermng: Unable to delete user:

• PHP as FPM application is selected in Domains > example.com > PHP Settings.

Cause

This is Plesk bug with ID #PPPM-4225 that was fixed in Plesk Onyx.

Resolution

Upgrade to the latest Plesk version using the guide "How to upgrade Plesk to the next release".

If an upgrade is not possible, as a workaround, do the following:

1. Log into Plesk UI.

2. Go to Domains > example.com > PHP Settings and switch PHP handler to the version with CGI/FastCGI support.

3. Go to Domains > example.com > FTP Access and remove the account.

4. Switch back to PHP as FPM application in Domains > example.com > PHP Settings.

If the steps above did not help remove this account directly from the server with the below steps:

1. Connect to the server via SSH.

2. Backup Plesk database:

   # plesk db dump psa > /root/psa_dump.`date +%F.%s`.sql;

3. Find ID of the necessary account:

   # plesk db "select account_id from sys_users where login='exampleuser'"
   +------------+
   | account_id |
   +------------+
   | 11 |
   +------------+

4. Remove the account from the database:

   # plesk db "delete from accounts where id=11"
   # plesk db "delete from sys_users where login='exampleuser'"

5. Remove the user from the system:

   # /usr/sbin/userdel exampleuser