LPIC-1 Administrative Tasks Practice Question
Exhibit
● cron.service - Regular background program processing daemon
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/cron.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Mon 2023-10-23 10:15:00 UTC; 2h 30min ago
Docs: man:cron(8)
Main PID: 1234 (cron)
Tasks: 1 (limit: 4915)
Memory: 1.2M
CGroup: /system.slice/cron.service
└─1234 /usr/sbin/cron -fRefer to the exhibit. What can be concluded about the cron daemon based on this systemctl output?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse 'enabled' (start at boot) with 'active' (currently running), leading them to select option B when the service is actually running, or they may misinterpret the absence of explicit 'failed' text as meaning the service is stopped.
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
✓
It is running and will start automatically at system boot.
The systemctl output shows 'Loaded: loaded' and 'Active: active (running)' for the cron daemon, which indicates it is currently running. Additionally, the 'enabled' status in the 'Loaded' line means the service is configured to start automatically at system boot. Therefore, option D is correct.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
It is stopped.
Why it's wrong here
A stopped unit reports inactive (dead) with no active process, while the exhibit shows the daemon active and running. It is tempting because an enabled-but-idle service can look dormant; the displayed active state confirms the daemon is currently executing, so stopped is contradicted.
- ✗
It is enabled but not currently running.
Why it's wrong here
Enabled describes start-at-boot configuration, not current runtime state, and the exhibit shows the unit active rather than merely enabled. It is tempting because enabled units often sit idle until triggered; here the daemon is actively running, so the enabled-but-not-running conclusion is wrong.
- ✗
It has failed recently.
Why it's wrong here
A failed unit shows an active failed state with a non-zero exit result, whereas the exhibit shows the daemon loaded and active. It is tempting because a service that exited unexpectedly can appear inactive; here the state reflects normal running, so no recent failure can be concluded.
- ✓
It is running and will start automatically at system boot.
Why this is correct
The `systemctl` output shows the unit state as active (running) with no failure, confirming the cron daemon is currently executing. The "enabled" vendor preset indicates a symlink exists in the multi-user.target.wants directory, so systemd will start cron automatically during boot without manual intervention.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every LPIC-1 question from scratch — 402 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.