Deleting an account and pms

[Pikachew]

Someone spammed images through pm on my forum, if I delete the account will the pms be deleted if they were read by the receiver or only unread messages? and will it be deleted in the database? the images were posted through the attachment button if that matters

[stevemaury]

You could do a quick test with a test user, but I do not believe attachments are affected at all by deleting a user, except if you also choose to delete a users posts, the attachments to those posts will effectively be unreachable.

If it were me, I would delete the user and their posts, and then make a backup of any remaining data for attachments in PMs by running this query and exporting its output to an sql file. This is in case the running of the second query below gives unexpected result, the table can be restored to its former state by importing the sql file:

Code: Select all

SELECT * FROM phpbb_attachments WHERE poster_id = X AND in_message > 0

If your table prefix is not phpbb_ change accordingly. X is the user_id of the spammer.

Then, run this query:

Code: Select all

DELETE FROM phpbb_attachments WHERE poster_id = X AND in_message > 0

The attachment will remain in the /files folder, but cannot be seen. Attempts to view it will probably throw an error.

[Pikachew]

Thanks so much for the reply, so attachments in posts would be deleted but not pm's? what if the user who received the message deleted the post as well, then would the attachment be removed from the database too? It's using up a lot of space...

[3Di]

ACP administer user

[canonknipser]

then would the attachment be removed from the database too? It's using up a lot of space...

Attachments are NOT stored in the database, only a reference row with some metadata. The attachments are stores in the files-folder.

And if a pm is deleted from both sender and receiver(s), all information including attachment files and attachment data are deleted also.
For normal posts, as stevemaury already explained, attachments are only deleted if user's posts are deleted.

You can always delete users attachments from the acp in the user management, select "attachments" in the dropdown in top right corner when you navigated to "Users and Groups" - "Manage Users" and selected the specific user. Attachments from deleted users should belong to the guest account.

[Pikachew]

then would the attachment be removed from the database too? It's using up a lot of space...

Attachments are NOT stored in the database, only a reference row with some metadata. The attachments are stores in the files-folder.

And if a pm is deleted from both sender and receiver(s), all information including attachment files and attachment data are deleted also.
For normal posts, as stevemaury already explained, attachments are only deleted if user's posts are deleted.

You can always delete users attachments from the acp in the user management, select "attachments" in the dropdown in top right corner when you navigated to "Users and Groups" - "Manage Users" and selected the specific user. Attachments from deleted users should belong to the guest account.

Sorry last nooby question if you delete the attachments from the acp will that delete them in pm's that have been sent? Or will it basically do what deleting the account does?