Drop failed for user-error MSSQLServer 15421

In a SQL Server 2005 database, I was having a hard time deleting
User I had created.

I kept getting this error:

The Database Principal owns a database role and cannot be dropped.
MSG 15421.

Msdn and Google were not helpful on this error. ater lots of Search
Attempts I kept coming up empty:

I spent some time looking through various dialogs in SQL Server
Management studio. I was unable to find the problem-probably because I
Am not as familiar with the UI as I was with Enterprise Manager.

I finally wrote a script that helped me identify for which role
User was listed as an owner. Here it is:

Select dp2.name as role, dp1.name as owner
From SYS. database_principals as dp1 inner join SYS. database_principals
As dp2
On dp1.principal _ id = dp2.owning _ principal_id
Where dp1.name ='Deleteme
'

In the last line of the script, make sure you specifiyUser
Name
AndNot
The login name. 'delete' is the user
Name I want to delete. See the screen shot below:

After running this script, I found which role had my user listed
Owner.

With that knowledge, I opened the role dialog in SQL Server
Management studio and changed the owner to 'dbo'. below isBefore
Screen shot.

The owner shoshould be changed to a principal other than the one you are
Trying to delete. I used 'dbo' as shown here:

Once this change was made I was able to delete the user I wanted
Get rid.