The answer is the misspelled `notifempty` directive, which should be `notifempty`. This is correct because logrotate silently ignores any directive it does not recognize, treating the typo as an unknown keyword with no effect. Without the correctly spelled `notifempty` directive, logrotate’s default behavior is to skip rotating an empty log file, which prevents automatic rotation even though a manual forced rotation with `-f` works. On the LPIC-1 exam, this tests your understanding that logrotate does not validate directive spelling—a common trap where a single typo causes silent failures in scheduled cron jobs. The key insight is that `-f` bypasses all conditions, including the empty-file check, masking the misspelling. A reliable memory tip: “If it’s not spelled right, it’s not in sight”—logrotate simply ignores what it cannot parse, so always double-check directive spelling in configuration files.
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 systems administrator is responsible for a Linux server that runs a custom application. The application writes logs to /var/log/app.log and rotates them using logrotate. Recently, the server ran out of disk space because log files were not being rotated. The administrator checks the logrotate configuration file /etc/logrotate.d/app and finds:
The administrator manually runs 'logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.d/app' and the log rotates successfully. However, the next day, the log is not rotated again. The administrator checks the cron job for logrotate and finds that /etc/cron.daily/logrotate exists and runs logrotate /etc/logrotate.conf. The administrator checks /etc/logrotate.conf and sees that it includes /etc/logrotate.d/*. What is the most likely reason the log is not rotating automatically?
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 'notifempty' directive is misspelled; it should be 'notifempty'.
Option B is correct because the 'notifempty' directive is misspelled as 'notifempty' (it should be 'notifempty'). Logrotate silently ignores unknown directives, so the misspelled directive has no effect. Without the correct 'notifempty' directive, logrotate will skip rotation if the log file is empty, which can prevent rotation from occurring automatically even though the manual forced rotation with -f succeeds.
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 'weekly' directive is misspelled.
Why it's wrong here
'weekly' is correctly spelled.
✓
The 'notifempty' directive is misspelled; it should be 'notifempty'.
Why this is correct
The correct directive is 'notifempty', not 'notifempty'.
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.
✗
The /etc/logrotate.d/ directory is not included by logrotate.conf.
Why it's wrong here
logrotate.conf includes /etc/logrotate.d/*.
✗
The 'missingok' directive prevents rotation if the log file is missing, but the file exists.
Why it's wrong here
'missingok' is correct and does not prevent rotation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume a forced rotation with -f works the same as automatic rotation, but -f overrides conditions like empty files, whereas automatic rotation respects the 'notifempty' directive (or its absence).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Logrotate parses configuration files line by line and silently ignores any directive it does not recognize, making misspellings a common source of silent failures. The 'notifempty' directive (correctly spelled 'notifempty') tells logrotate not to rotate the log if it is empty; without it, the default behavior is to rotate even empty files. In this scenario, if the application writes logs only sporadically, the log file may be empty at the time of the daily cron job, causing logrotate to skip rotation automatically.
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 'notifempty' directive is misspelled; it should be 'notifempty'. — Option B is correct because the 'notifempty' directive is misspelled as 'notifempty' (it should be 'notifempty'). Logrotate silently ignores unknown directives, so the misspelled directive has no effect. Without the correct 'notifempty' directive, logrotate will skip rotation if the log file is empty, which can prevent rotation from occurring automatically even though the manual forced rotation with -f succeeds.
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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