This XK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of troubleshooting. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A system administrator notices that the /var partition is full, causing log services to malfunction. Which command should be used to quickly reclaim space by removing compressed old log files?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
journalctl --vacuum-size=100M
Why wrong: Used for systemd journal, not compressed .gz log files.
find /var/log -type f -name '*.gz' -delete
Safely finds and deletes .gz files, reclaiming space efficiently.
rm -rf /var/log/*.gz
Why wrong: Too broad; may remove logs that are still needed or in use.
logrotate -f
Why wrong: Forces log rotation but does not delete compressed old logs.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
find /var/log -type f -name '*.gz' -delete
Option B is correct because it uses `find` to locate all files ending in `.gz` under `/var/log` and deletes them with `-delete`. Compressed old log files are typically archived with gzip, so removing them directly reclaims disk space without affecting active logs or requiring additional tools.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
journalctl --vacuum-size=100M
Why it's wrong here
Used for systemd journal, not compressed .gz log files.
find /var/log -type f -name '*.gz' -delete
Why this is correct
Safely finds and deletes .gz files, reclaiming space efficiently.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
rm -rf /var/log/*.gz
Why it's wrong here
Too broad; may remove logs that are still needed or in use.
logrotate -f
Why it's wrong here
Forces log rotation but does not delete compressed old logs.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may choose `logrotate -f` thinking it cleans up old logs, but it actually triggers rotation and compression, which can fill the partition further instead of freeing space.
Detailed technical explanation
The `find` command with `-type f -name '*.gz' -delete` recursively traverses `/var/log` and deletes files matching the pattern, avoiding shell glob limitations. In real-world scenarios, log rotation policies often leave behind multiple generations of compressed logs (e.g., `syslog.1.gz`, `syslog.2.gz`), and this command efficiently purges them without affecting active logs or requiring manual directory navigation.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the XK0-005 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Troubleshooting — This question tests Troubleshooting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: find /var/log -type f -name '*.gz' -delete — Option B is correct because it uses `find` to locate all files ending in `.gz` under `/var/log` and deletes them with `-delete`. Compressed old log files are typically archived with gzip, so removing them directly reclaims disk space without affecting active logs or requiring additional tools.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This XK0-005 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 XK0-005 exam.
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