This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of administrative tasks. 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 needs to ensure a custom script runs every time the system boots. Where should the script be placed for execution during the boot process on a standard Linux system?
/etc/cron.d/
Why wrong: Cron.d is for scheduled tasks, not boot-time execution.
/etc/init.d/
Why wrong: Init.d contains system service scripts, but a custom script would need to be properly configured as a service.
/etc/cron.hourly/
Why wrong: Cron.hourly runs hourly, not on boot.
/etc/rc.local
This file is executed at the end of the boot process and is suitable for custom startup scripts.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
/etc/rc.local
Option D is correct because /etc/rc.local is a legacy system initialization script that is executed at the end of the boot process on many Linux distributions using SysV init or systemd (with a compatibility unit). Placing a custom script inside /etc/rc.local ensures it runs once per boot, after all other init scripts have completed, making it a straightforward method for executing custom commands or scripts at system startup.
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.
/etc/cron.d/
Why it's wrong here
Cron.d is for scheduled tasks, not boot-time execution.
/etc/init.d/
Why it's wrong here
Init.d contains system service scripts, but a custom script would need to be properly configured as a service.
/etc/cron.hourly/
Why it's wrong here
Cron.hourly runs hourly, not on boot.
/etc/rc.local
Why this is correct
This file is executed at the end of the boot process and is suitable for custom startup scripts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse cron directories (like /etc/cron.d/ or /etc/cron.hourly/) with boot-time execution, because both involve running scripts, but cron is strictly time-based and unrelated to the boot sequence.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, /etc/rc.local is executed by the rc-local service, which on systemd systems is provided by rc-local.service. This service runs with the 'RemainAfterExit=yes' setting, meaning it is considered active after the script completes. A common subtlety is that /etc/rc.local must be executable and contain a valid shebang (e.g., #!/bin/bash), and on some modern distributions it may be disabled by default, requiring manual enabling via 'systemctl enable rc-local'.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Administrative Tasks — This question tests Administrative Tasks — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: /etc/rc.local — Option D is correct because /etc/rc.local is a legacy system initialization script that is executed at the end of the boot process on many Linux distributions using SysV init or systemd (with a compatibility unit). Placing a custom script inside /etc/rc.local ensures it runs once per boot, after all other init scripts have completed, making it a straightforward method for executing custom commands or scripts at system startup.
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 25, 2026
This LPIC-1 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI 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 LPIC-1 exam.
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