- A
Run 'chage -M 99999 bob' to set password to never expire, then 'passwd bob' to set a new password, and finally 'chage -d 0 bob'.
Why wrong: This bypasses the password aging policy entirely and does not address the account expiration due to inactivity. The account may still be locked because the inactivity period triggered an account expiry.
- B
Run 'chage -E -1 bob' to clear account expiration, then 'chage -I 90 bob' to set inactivity period, then instruct Bob to change his password immediately.
This correctly removes the account expiration and resets the inactivity timer. Bob can then log in with his current password (which will force a change if password is expired) or reset it.
- C
Run 'passwd bob' to reset his password, then 'chage -d 0 bob' to force password change on next login.
Why wrong: Resetting the password alone does not re-enable an account that has been locked due to inactivity. The account may still be considered expired because the 'account expired' flag is set by the inactivity period.
- D
Delete Bob's user account with 'userdel -r bob' and recreate it with 'useradd bob', then assign him to his groups and restore his data from backup.
Why wrong: This is excessively destructive and time-consuming. The account lock can be resolved with chage commands without losing data or configurations.
LFCS User and Group Management Practice Question
This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of user and group management. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
You are a system administrator for a company with a strict security policy: user accounts must be disabled after 90 days of inactivity. The tool used is the chage command with the -I (inactive) option. User 'bob' has been on leave and cannot log in. You run 'chage -l bob' and see: Last password change: Jan 10, 2024; Password expires: Apr 09, 2024; Account expires: never; Minimum number of days between password change: 0; Maximum number of days between password change: 90; Number of days of warning before password expires: 7; Number of days of inactivity after password expires: 90. Bob tells you he tried to log in today (date is July 15, 2024) and received 'Your account has expired; contact your system administrator'. You need to restore Bob's account access immediately while still enforcing the inactivity lock for future periods. What should you do?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"never"Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
Run 'chage -E -1 bob' to clear account expiration, then 'chage -I 90 bob' to set inactivity period, then instruct Bob to change his password immediately.
Option A is correct because chage -E -1 bob removes any account expiration date (setting it to never), and chage -I 90 bob re-sets the inactivity period to 90 days after password expiry. This allows Bob to log in after resetting his password (since his password has already expired), and future inactivity will be tracked. Option B only resets the password but does not address the expired account; the account may still be locked due to inactivity. Option C resets the password and changes the maximum password age, but does not clear the account expiration or inactivity counter. Option D creates a new user with a clean slate, which is overkill and loses Bob's home directory, files, and group memberships.
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.
- ✗
Run 'chage -M 99999 bob' to set password to never expire, then 'passwd bob' to set a new password, and finally 'chage -d 0 bob'.
Why it's wrong here
This bypasses the password aging policy entirely and does not address the account expiration due to inactivity. The account may still be locked because the inactivity period triggered an account expiry.
- ✓
Run 'chage -E -1 bob' to clear account expiration, then 'chage -I 90 bob' to set inactivity period, then instruct Bob to change his password immediately.
Why this is correct
This correctly removes the account expiration and resets the inactivity timer. Bob can then log in with his current password (which will force a change if password is expired) or reset it.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "never", "minimum / minimize", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Run 'passwd bob' to reset his password, then 'chage -d 0 bob' to force password change on next login.
Why it's wrong here
Resetting the password alone does not re-enable an account that has been locked due to inactivity. The account may still be considered expired because the 'account expired' flag is set by the inactivity period.
- ✗
Delete Bob's user account with 'userdel -r bob' and recreate it with 'useradd bob', then assign him to his groups and restore his data from backup.
Why it's wrong here
This is excessively destructive and time-consuming. The account lock can be resolved with chage commands without losing data or configurations.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This is excessively destructive and time-consuming. The account lock can be resolved with chage commands without losing data or configurations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 practitioner preparing for the LFCS 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which LFCS exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
- →
User and Group Management — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this LFCS question test?
User and Group Management — This question tests User and Group Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Run 'chage -E -1 bob' to clear account expiration, then 'chage -I 90 bob' to set inactivity period, then instruct Bob to change his password immediately. — Option A is correct because chage -E -1 bob removes any account expiration date (setting it to never), and chage -I 90 bob re-sets the inactivity period to 90 days after password expiry. This allows Bob to log in after resetting his password (since his password has already expired), and future inactivity will be tracked. Option B only resets the password but does not address the expired account; the account may still be locked due to inactivity. Option C resets the password and changes the maximum password age, but does not clear the account expiration or inactivity counter. Option D creates a new user with a clean slate, which is overkill and loses Bob's home directory, files, and group memberships.
What should I do if I get this LFCS question wrong?
Identify which LFCS exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "never", "minimum / minimize", "immediately / without restart". Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This LFCS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Linux Foundation 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 LFCS exam.
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