hardMultiple Choice
XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux server that hosts a critical database…
A Linux server that hosts a critical database application has been experiencing occasional kernel panics. The administrator wants to ensure the system automatically reboots after a panic and logs the crash dump. Which sysctl parameter should be set?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between parameters that cause a panic (`panic_on_oops`, `panic_on_warn`) and the parameter that controls the reboot delay after a panic (`kernel.panic`), leading candidates to confuse the cause with the recovery 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
✓
kernel.panic = 10
Setting `kernel.panic = 10` instructs the Linux kernel to wait 10 seconds after a kernel panic before automatically rebooting. This ensures the system recovers without manual intervention, and combined with a configured crash dump mechanism (e.g., kdump), the crash dump is captured before the reboot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
kernel.panic_on_warn = 10
Why it's wrong here
kernel.panic_on_warn triggers a panic on warnings rather than rebooting after an existing panic; it would be chosen to force crashes on warning conditions for debugging. The requirement needs kernel.panic to set the reboot delay and kernel.panic_on_oops or kdump for the dump.
- ✗
kernel.panic_on_oops = 10
Why it's wrong here
Setting kernel.panic_on_oops only triggers a panic on an oops, so it cannot reboot a system that has already panicked. It is tempting because it does cause a reboot after certain non-fatal faults, which suits debugging recoverable oops conditions, but the stem requires kernel.panic to define the reboot delay after a panic.
- ✗
kernel.panic_print = 10
Why it's wrong here
kernel.panic_print controls how much panic output is printed to the console; it does not reboot the host or write a crash dump. kernel.panic sets the seconds before automatic reboot, and kdump captures the dump. The parameter is tempting because its name suggests panic handling, but it only governs verbosity of console output.
- ✓
kernel.panic = 10
Why this is correct
Setting kernel.panic to 10 makes the kernel reboot automatically ten seconds after a panic, satisfying the automatic-reboot requirement. The crash dump itself is captured separately via kdump and the crashkernel reservation, so this parameter handles only the reboot delay, not logging.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Installing Linux and Package Management
Key term
Kernel
The kernel is the core program of an operating system that manages hardware resources and provides essential services for all other software to run.
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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