LPIC-1 GNU and Unix Commands Practice Question
A system administrator notices that the system's syslog messages are not being written to /var/log/messages. The rsyslog service is running. The administrator wants to check the configuration syntax of rsyslog. Which command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse `-N` with `-d` (debug mode) or `-f` (config file path), assuming that running the daemon with a verbose flag or specifying a file will reveal syntax errors, whereas only `-N` performs a dedicated syntax check without executing the daemon.
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
✓
rsyslogd -N
The correct command is `rsyslogd -N` because the `-N` option performs a configuration syntax check without starting or restarting the rsyslog daemon. This allows the administrator to validate the rsyslog configuration file for errors before applying changes, ensuring that syslog messages will be written correctly to /var/log/messages.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
rsyslogd -d
Why it's wrong here
-d runs rsyslog in debug mode, which does not specifically check syntax.
- ✗
rsyslogd -f
Why it's wrong here
-f specifies an alternative config file but does not check syntax.
- ✓
rsyslogd -N
Why this is correct
-N performs a syntax check on the configuration file.
- ✗
rsyslogd -v
Why it's wrong here
-v shows version information, not a syntax check.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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