This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of gnu and unix commands. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Delete old log files in /var/log and clear package cache.
Option B is correct because the most common cause of a full /var partition is accumulated log files in /var/log and cached package data. Deleting old logs (e.g., via logrotate or manual cleanup) and clearing the package manager cache (e.g., apt-get clean or yum clean all) directly reclaims space without requiring disk resizing or additional hardware. This is the safest and fastest first step before considering more invasive actions.
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.
✗
Move some files from /var to / and create a symbolic link.
Why it's wrong here
Moving system files could break services; not a best practice.
✓
Delete old log files in /var/log and clear package cache.
Why this is correct
Log files and cached packages often consume large space and can be safely removed.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Increase the size of /dev/sdb2 using resize2fs.
Why it's wrong here
There is no unallocated space on sdb to expand sdb2.
✗
Add a new disk and mount it to /var.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, it is not the first step; cleaning is simpler.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to resizing the partition or adding a disk (options C and D) because they think the problem requires a hardware or filesystem-level solution, when in fact the simplest and most appropriate first step is to clean up temporary and log files that can be safely removed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, /var/log often contains rotated logs that are compressed but can accumulate over time; the logrotate utility manages this via cron, but manual intervention may be needed if rotation is misconfigured. Package managers like apt store downloaded .deb files in /var/cache/apt/archives, and 'apt-get clean' removes them, while 'yum clean all' removes cached RPM metadata and packages. In a real-world scenario, a sysadmin might first run 'du -sh /var/log/*' and 'du -sh /var/cache/*' to identify the largest consumers before taking action.
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.
GNU and Unix Commands — This question tests GNU and Unix Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Delete old log files in /var/log and clear package cache. — Option B is correct because the most common cause of a full /var partition is accumulated log files in /var/log and cached package data. Deleting old logs (e.g., via logrotate or manual cleanup) and clearing the package manager cache (e.g., apt-get clean or yum clean all) directly reclaims space without requiring disk resizing or additional hardware. This is the safest and fastest first step before considering more invasive actions.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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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