LPIC-1 Administrative Tasks Practice Question
A system is not logging messages to /var/log/syslog. Which command should an administrator use first to diagnose the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to testing the logging pipeline (with 'logger') or checking for a process by name, instead of first verifying the service status with systemctl, which is the systematic and most efficient diagnostic step.
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
✓
systemctl status rsyslog
The first step in diagnosing why messages are not appearing in /var/log/syslog is to verify that the rsyslog service is running and active. The 'systemctl status rsyslog' command shows the current service state, recent logs, and any errors that might prevent logging. Without confirming the service status, other diagnostic steps may be misleading.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
tail -f /var/log/syslog
Why it's wrong here
Only shows recent log entries if the file exists; does not diagnose the service.
- ✗
logger test
Why it's wrong here
Sends a test message but does not reveal the service status.
- ✗
ps aux | grep syslog
Why it's wrong here
Less direct; process listing may not show service state clearly.
- ✓
systemctl status rsyslog
Why this is correct
Checks the status of the rsyslog service to see if it is active and running.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.