easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux administrator notices that the system…
A Linux administrator notices that the system clock is consistently 5 minutes behind the actual time. The administrator runs 'timedatectl' and sees 'NTP service: active'. Which of the following commands should be used to force an immediate time synchronization?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume 'systemctl restart chronyd' (Option C) will immediately sync the clock, but it only restarts the daemon without forcing a poll, so the 5-minute lag remains until the next scheduled update; CompTIA often tests the distinction between restarting a service and triggering an immediate action.
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
✓
timedatectl set-ntp false && chronyd -q && timedatectl set-ntp true
It first disables NTP to stop the automatic synchronization, then runs chronyd in one-shot query mode (-q) to force an immediate sync with the configured NTP servers, and finally re-enables NTP to resume normal service. This approach works with chronyd, which is the default NTP implementation on modern RHEL/CentOS 8+ and many other distributions, and directly addresses the need for an immediate synchronization without waiting for the periodic polling interval.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
systemctl restart ntp
Why it's wrong here
Similar to A, restarting does not force an immediate sync.
- ✗
ntpdate -s time.google.com
Why it's wrong here
ntpdate is deprecated and may not be installed; chronyd is the default NTP client on modern systems.
- ✗
systemctl restart chronyd
Why it's wrong here
Restarting the service does not force an immediate sync; it just restarts the daemon.
- ✓
timedatectl set-ntp false && chronyd -q && timedatectl set-ntp true
Why this is correct
Disabling NTP, forcing a one-time sync with chronyd -q, then re-enabling NTP is the correct procedure.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Linux Fundamentals and History
Key term
NTP
Network Time Protocol is a networking protocol used to synchronize the clocks of computers and devices over a network to a common time reference.
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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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.