LPIC-1 Shells, Scripting and Data Management Practice Question
This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of shells, scripting and data management. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 cron job is configured to run a script every day at 2:30 AM. The sysadmin notices the job runs but produces no output. Which is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The MAILTO environment variable is not set, and the output is not redirected.
Option C is correct because cron jobs run in a non-interactive, non-terminal environment. By default, cron captures any output (stdout/stderr) from the job and attempts to email it to the user. If the MAILTO variable is not set and the output is not redirected to a file or /dev/null, the output is simply discarded, resulting in no visible output. The job still runs successfully, but the output is lost.
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 cron daemon is not running.
Why it's wrong here
If cron daemon were not running, the job would not run at all.
✗
The script requires a terminal to run.
Why it's wrong here
Scripts can run without a terminal.
✓
The MAILTO environment variable is not set, and the output is not redirected.
Why this is correct
Cron emails output only if MAILTO is set; otherwise, output is lost.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Cron automatically suppresses all output.
Why it's wrong here
Cron does not suppress output; it attempts to email it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume cron silently discards all output by default, when in fact cron attempts to mail it, and the 'no output' symptom is due to the output being sent to an unmonitored mailbox or not redirected.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Cron does not suppress output; it attempts to email it.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, cron uses the MAILTO variable in the crontab to determine where to send job output. If MAILTO is unset, output is mailed to the crontab owner's local mailbox (e.g., /var/mail/username). If the MTA is not configured or the mailbox is not checked, the output appears to vanish. A common real-world scenario is a sysadmin who forgets to redirect output to a log file and then wonders why no results are visible, even though the job completed successfully.
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 practitioner preparing for the LPIC-1 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 exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Shells, Scripting and Data Management — This question tests Shells, Scripting and Data Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The MAILTO environment variable is not set, and the output is not redirected. — Option C is correct because cron jobs run in a non-interactive, non-terminal environment. By default, cron captures any output (stdout/stderr) from the job and attempts to email it to the user. If the MAILTO variable is not set and the output is not redirected to a file or /dev/null, the output is simply discarded, resulting in no visible output. The job still runs successfully, but the output is lost.
What should I do if I get this LPIC-1 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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