This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of essential commands. 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 runs 'ls -la' and sees the following entry for a file: 'lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 24 Jan 10 12:00 link -> /etc/passwd'. If the target file /etc/passwd is deleted, what happens to the link file?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The link becomes a broken symbolic link
The entry 'lrwxrwxrwx' indicates a symbolic link (symlink), which stores a path to the target file rather than sharing its inode. When the target /etc/passwd is deleted, the symlink still exists but points to a non-existent path, making it a broken (dangling) symlink. Accessing it will result in a 'No such file or directory' error.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 link becomes a hard link to the deleted file's inode
Why it's wrong here
A symbolic link does not become a hard link; it remains a symlink pointing to a now-nonexistent path.
✓
The link becomes a broken symbolic link
Why this is correct
The symlink still exists but points to a non-existent target, making it broken.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The link becomes a regular file with the same content
Why it's wrong here
A symlink does not transform into a regular file.
✗
The link is automatically deleted
Why it's wrong here
A symbolic link is not automatically deleted when its target is removed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse symbolic links with hard links, assuming the link would become a regular file or automatically delete, when in fact a symlink simply becomes broken and persists until manually removed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Symbolic links are implemented as special files containing a path string (up to PATH_MAX, typically 4096 bytes). The kernel resolves the path during file operations; if the target is missing, the symlink remains but operations like open() fail with ENOENT. This behavior is defined by POSIX and is distinct from hard links, which directly reference the inode and become orphaned only when all hard links are removed.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Essential Commands — This question tests Essential Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The link becomes a broken symbolic link — The entry 'lrwxrwxrwx' indicates a symbolic link (symlink), which stores a path to the target file rather than sharing its inode. When the target /etc/passwd is deleted, the symlink still exists but points to a non-existent path, making it a broken (dangling) symlink. Accessing it will result in a 'No such file or directory' error.
What should I do if I get this LFCS question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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