Quick Answer
The correct crontab entry is `30 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh`. This is correct because the crontab syntax follows the order of minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week, so placing 30 in the minute field and 2 in the hour field schedules the script to run at exactly 2:30 AM, while the asterisks in the remaining fields mean every day, every month, and every day of the week. On the CompTIA Linux+ XK0-005 exam, this question tests your ability to translate a time-based requirement into the five-field cron schedule, a common task for system administrators managing automated maintenance. A frequent trap is confusing the order of minute and hour—many candidates mistakenly write `2 30` instead of `30 2`. To remember the sequence, use the mnemonic "Minute Hour Day Month Weekday," and always start with the smallest time unit.
This XK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of scripting, containers and automation. 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.
An administrator needs to run a script '/usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh' every day at 2:30 AM. Which crontab entry is correct?
2 30 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Why wrong: Hour and minute are reversed.
*/30 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Why wrong: Runs every 30 minutes between 2:00-2:59 AM.
30 * * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Why wrong: Runs at minute 30 of every hour.
30 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Correct syntax for 2:30 AM daily.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
30 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
The correct crontab syntax is `minute hour day month weekday command`. Option D specifies minute 30, hour 2, and asterisks for all other fields, which means the script runs at 2:30 AM every day. This matches the requirement exactly.
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.
2 30 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Why it's wrong here
Hour and minute are reversed.
*/30 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Why it's wrong here
Runs every 30 minutes between 2:00-2:59 AM.
30 * * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Why it's wrong here
Runs at minute 30 of every hour.
30 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh
Why this is correct
Correct syntax for 2:30 AM daily.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CompTIA often tests the order of minute and hour fields in crontab entries, and the trap here is that candidates may swap them (placing hour first) or use `*/30` thinking it means 'at 30 minutes past the hour' rather than 'every 30 minutes'.
Detailed technical explanation
The crontab format is defined by POSIX and consists of five time-and-date fields followed by a command. The fields are: minute (0-59), hour (0-23), day of month (1-31), month (1-12), and day of week (0-7, where 0 and 7 represent Sunday). Asterisks mean 'every possible value' for that field. A common real-world pitfall is misordering the minute and hour fields, which leads to unintended execution times.
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
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FAQ
Scripting, Containers and Automation — This question tests Scripting, Containers and Automation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: 30 2 * * * /usr/local/bin/cleanup.sh — The correct crontab syntax is `minute hour day month weekday command`. Option D specifies minute 30, hour 2, and asterisks for all other fields, which means the script runs at 2:30 AM every day. This matches the requirement exactly.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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