hardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux administrator is troubleshooting a…
A Linux administrator is troubleshooting a service that fails to start. Which THREE files or commands should be checked to diagnose the issue? (Select THREE.)
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between kernel-level logs (dmesg) and service-level logs (journalctl), and the trap here is that candidates may confuse `dmesg` with service troubleshooting because it shows boot-time messages, but it does not capture service-specific failures.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
journalctl -u service-name
B is correct because `journalctl -u service-name` displays the systemd journal logs specifically for that service, which includes detailed error messages, timestamps, and status changes that are essential for diagnosing why the service failed to start. This command is the primary tool for viewing service-specific logs in modern systemd-based Linux distributions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
dmesg
Why it's wrong here
Kernel ring buffer, not directly related to service failures.
- ✓
journalctl -u service-name
Why this is correct
Shows service-specific logs from journald.
- ✓
/var/log/messages (or /var/log/syslog)
Why this is correct
General system logs may contain error messages.
- ✗
/etc/rc.local
Why it's wrong here
Legacy script, not typically used for service startup.
- ✓
systemctl status service-name
Why this is correct
Shows current status and recent log entries.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Linux Fundamentals and History
Key term
journalctl
Journalctl is a command-line tool used to view and query logs collected by the systemd journal, which stores system and application messages on Linux systems.
Key term
systemd
systemd is a system and service manager for Linux operating systems that initializes and manages processes, services, and system resources after the kernel boots.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This XK0-006 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the XK0-006 exam.