mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: A system administrator notices that a service…
A system administrator notices that a service fails to start at boot with the message "Failed to start MyApp.service: Unit not found". The administrator checks the service unit file at /etc/systemd/system/myapp.service. The target wanted-by is multi-user.target. The administrator runs `systemctl enable myapp.service` successfully, but the service still does not start at boot. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume `systemctl enable` alone is sufficient to make a service start at boot, overlooking that systemd must reload its configuration to recognize the newly enabled unit.
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
✓
The systemd daemon has not been reloaded after enabling.
When `systemctl enable myapp.service` is run, systemd creates the necessary symlinks in the `.wants` directory but does not automatically reload its configuration. The service fails to start at boot because systemd still holds the old configuration in memory and does not recognize the newly enabled unit. Running `systemctl daemon-reload` forces systemd to re-read all unit files and apply the new enablement, allowing the service to start at boot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The systemd daemon has not been reloaded after enabling.
Why this is correct
After adding a new unit file, daemon-reload is required. Even though enable succeeded, systemd's in-memory state might be stale.
- ✗
The service unit file has a syntax error.
Why it's wrong here
A syntax error would show a parsing error, not 'Unit not found'.
- ✗
The service requires a dependency that is not installed.
Why it's wrong here
Missing dependency would show a different error, like dependency failed.
- ✗
The service is not symlinked into the correct .wants directory.
Why it's wrong here
systemctl enable creates the symlink; if it succeeded, the symlink exists.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Permissions and Ownership
Key term
systemctl
systemctl is the command-line tool used to inspect, start, stop, enable, or disable services managed by the systemd init system in Linux.
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.