How should I use these Scenario practice questions?

Read each scenario carefully and choose your answer before revealing the explanation. Then check why your choice was right or wrong. Repeat until the reasoning feels automatic.

Can I practise just Scenario questions in a focused session?

Yes — use the session launcher on this page to start a 10-, 20-, 30- or 50-question session drawn entirely from the Scenario domain.

LPIC-1 · topic practice

Scenario practice questions

Practise Linux Professional Institute Certification Level 1 LPIC-1 Scenario practice questions — original exam-style scenarios with answer choices, explanations, and analysis of common mistakes.

Courseiva uses original exam-style practice questions designed for learning and revision. The goal is to understand the concepts, recognise exam patterns, and improve through explanations — not memorise copied exam dumps.

Reviewed byJohnson Ajibi· MSc IT Security

8 questionsDomain: Scenario

Practice 10 questions Browse domain →

What the exam tests

What to know about Scenario

Scenario questions test whether you can apply the concept in context, not just recognise a definition.

How the topic appears in realistic exam-style scenarios.

Which detail in the question changes the correct answer.

How to eliminate plausible but wrong options.

How to connect the question back to the wider exam objective.

Watch out for

Common Scenario exam traps

▸Answering from memory before reading the full scenario.
▸Missing a constraint such as cost, availability, security, scope or command context.
▸Choosing a broad answer when the question asks for the most specific fix.
▸Ignoring why the wrong options are tempting.

Practice set

Scenario questions

8 questions · select your answer, then reveal the explanation

Question 1mediummultiple choice

Study the full Python automation breakdown →

Refer to the exhibit. A user runs 'python --version' and gets 'Python 3.9.1'. Which command would run Python 2 instead?

Network Topology

Trap 1: python --version2

Invalid option.

Trap 2: python3

python3 runs Python 3.

Trap 3: python2 --version

Although python2 runs Python 2, the question asks for the command to run Python 2, not necessarily with --version.

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
python --version2
Why wrong: Invalid option.
B
python2
python2 is a separate executable and will run Python 2.
C
python3
Why wrong: python3 runs Python 3.
D
python2 --version
Why wrong: Although python2 runs Python 2, the question asks for the command to run Python 2, not necessarily with --version.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 2mediummultiple choice

Read the full Scenario explanation →

You are the system administrator for a small business running a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 server that hosts a MySQL database and a web server. The server has two physical disks: a 240GB SSD (sda) with partitions sda1 (boot), sda2 (root), sda3 (swap), and a 1TB HDD (sdb) with a single partition sdb1 mounted at /var/lib/mysql. The server has been running for months without issues. However, this morning you receive alerts that the MySQL database is not accepting new connections. You log in and find that the /var filesystem is 100% full. You check the disk usage and see that /var/lib/mysql uses 90% of the space, but there are also large log files in /var/log/httpd. To free up space immediately and restore database service while planning a permanent solution, you decide to compress old log files and move some database archives to a backup server. After compressing several log files with gzip, the available space increases by only a few MB. You then delete some old database backups from /var/lib/mysql/backup, but the space usage shown by df remains unchanged. What is the most likely cause of this behavior?

Trap 1: The disk quota for the mysql user is exceeded, so deletions do not…

Disk quotas limit usage but do not cause deletions to not free space; after deletion, quota usage decreases.

Trap 2: The SSD is not TRIM-enabled, so deleted blocks are not reclaimed.

TRIM is an optimization for SSDs; lack of TRIM does not prevent space from being freed when files are deleted; the space becomes available immediately.

Trap 3: The filesystem was remounted read-only due to errors, so deletions…

If the filesystem were remounted read-only, df would still reflect the usage before remount, and deletions would fail. But the administrator said deletions succeeded (df unchanged).

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
Some processes have open file handles to the deleted files, preventing the space from being released.
When a file is deleted but still open, the space is not freed until the file handle is closed. Use lsof to identify the processes.
B
The disk quota for the mysql user is exceeded, so deletions do not reduce usage.
Why wrong: Disk quotas limit usage but do not cause deletions to not free space; after deletion, quota usage decreases.
C
The SSD is not TRIM-enabled, so deleted blocks are not reclaimed.
Why wrong: TRIM is an optimization for SSDs; lack of TRIM does not prevent space from being freed when files are deleted; the space becomes available immediately.
D
The filesystem was remounted read-only due to errors, so deletions are not permanent.
Why wrong: If the filesystem were remounted read-only, df would still reflect the usage before remount, and deletions would fail. But the administrator said deletions succeeded (df unchanged).

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 3mediummultiple choice

Read the full Scenario explanation →

A server has a partition /dev/sda2 that is almost full. The admin suspects a large file has been deleted but is still held open by a process. Which command can identify such a file?

Trap 1: du -sh /

Shows disk usage but does not list open files.

Trap 2: find / -size +100M

Finds large files but cannot detect deleted open files.

Trap 3: df -h

Shows filesystem usage but not individual files.

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
du -sh /
Why wrong: Shows disk usage but does not list open files.
B
find / -size +100M
Why wrong: Finds large files but cannot detect deleted open files.
C
lsof | grep deleted
Shows open files marked as deleted.
D
df -h
Why wrong: Shows filesystem usage but not individual files.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 4mediummultiple choice

Read the full Scenario explanation →

A system administrator needs to install a package 'foo' which depends on library 'libbar.so.2' that is not currently installed. The administrator runs `apt-get install foo` and receives an error about unmet dependencies. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

Trap 1: Use `dpkg --force-depends -i foo.deb` to force installation.

Forcing installation can leave the system with broken packages.

Trap 2: Run `apt-get update` and retry the installation.

Updating the package list does not fix dependency issues.

Trap 3: Manually download `libbar.so.2` and install it using `dpkg -i`.

Manual installation may not resolve all dependencies and is not recommended.

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
Run `apt-get install -f` to fix broken dependencies.
This command attempts to correct unmet dependencies.
B
Use `dpkg --force-depends -i foo.deb` to force installation.
Why wrong: Forcing installation can leave the system with broken packages.
C
Run `apt-get update` and retry the installation.
Why wrong: Updating the package list does not fix dependency issues.
D
Manually download `libbar.so.2` and install it using `dpkg -i`.
Why wrong: Manual installation may not resolve all dependencies and is not recommended.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 5hardmultiple choice

Read the full Scenario explanation →

You are a Linux administrator for a company that uses a custom RPM-based distribution. The development team has built a new version of the internal tool 'monitor-app' (version 2.0) and placed the RPM package in a local YUM repository located at http://internal.repo/monitor-app-2.0.el7.x86_64.rpm. The repository metadata has been updated using 'createrepo'. On a test server running CentOS 7, you run 'yum update monitor-app' but the system reports 'No packages marked for update'. The currently installed version is 1.0. You verify that the repository is enabled and accessible via 'yum repolist'. What is the most likely cause and the correct course of action?

Trap 1: Download the RPM and install it locally with 'rpm -Uvh…

This bypasses the repository and dependency resolution.

Trap 2: Check the version number in the repository using 'yum info…

If the package is not found, info will also fail.

Trap 3: Run 'yum clean all' and then 'yum update monitor-app' again

Cleaning cache may help if metadata is stale, but the package is not found.

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
Download the RPM and install it locally with 'rpm -Uvh monitor-app-2.0.el7.x86_64.rpm'
Why wrong: This bypasses the repository and dependency resolution.
B
Run 'yum list available | grep monitor' to see if the package is listed with a different name, then install it with the exact name
This identifies the exact package name in the repository.
C
Check the version number in the repository using 'yum info monitor-app' and compare with installed version
Why wrong: If the package is not found, info will also fail.
D
Run 'yum clean all' and then 'yum update monitor-app' again
Why wrong: Cleaning cache may help if metadata is stale, but the package is not found.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 6mediummultiple choice

Read the full Scenario explanation →

A Linux system has two SATA disks: /dev/sda (250GB) and /dev/sdb (500GB). The administrator wants to create a logical volume group named 'vgdata' using partitions on both disks, then create a 600GB logical volume named 'lvdata' for a database. Which sequence of commands should be used?

Trap 1: pvcreate /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1; lvcreate -L 600G -n lvdata vgdata;…

lvcreate requires an existing volume group.

Trap 2: pvcreate /dev/sdb /dev/sdc; vgcreate vgdata /dev/sdb /dev/sdc;…

pvcreate should be on partitions like /dev/sdb1, not whole disks.

Trap 3: vgcreate vgdata /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1; pvcreate /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1;…

vgcreate requires prior pvcreate.

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
pvcreate /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1; lvcreate -L 600G -n lvdata vgdata; vgcreate vgdata /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1
Why wrong: lvcreate requires an existing volume group.
B
pvcreate /dev/sdb /dev/sdc; vgcreate vgdata /dev/sdb /dev/sdc; lvcreate -L 600G -n lvdata vgdata
Why wrong: pvcreate should be on partitions like /dev/sdb1, not whole disks.
C
pvcreate /dev/sda1 /dev/sdb1; vgcreate vgdata /dev/sda1 /dev/sdb1; lvcreate -L 600G -n lvdata vgdata
Correct order: pvcreate, vgcreate, lvcreate.
D
vgcreate vgdata /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1; pvcreate /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1; lvcreate -L 600G -n lvdata vgdata
Why wrong: vgcreate requires prior pvcreate.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 7easymultiple choice

Read the full Scenario explanation →

Which FHS directory contains essential binaries needed for booting and repairing the system, even before /usr is mounted?

Trap 1: /boot

Contains boot loader files, not command binaries.

Trap 2: /usr/bin

/usr/bin may not be available if /usr is not mounted.

Trap 3: /sbin

Contains system binaries, but both /bin and /sbin are essential; however, /bin is more basic.

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
/boot
Why wrong: Contains boot loader files, not command binaries.
B
/usr/bin
Why wrong: /usr/bin may not be available if /usr is not mounted.
C
/sbin
Why wrong: Contains system binaries, but both /bin and /sbin are essential; however, /bin is more basic.
D
/bin
Contains essential binaries like ls, mount, etc.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Question 8mediummultiple choice

Read the full Scenario explanation →

You work for a hosting company that manages hundreds of CentOS 7 servers. Each server runs a standard set of monitoring tools. Your team needs to deploy a custom monitoring agent that is only available as source code (tarball). The agent must be installed on all servers from a central repository. You have set up an internal YUM repository with the compiled RPMs of the agent. On a test server, you run 'yum install custom-agent', but it fails with a message that the package is not found. You verify the package is present in the repository directory and that the createrepo command has been run. Which step is most likely missing?

Trap 1: The GPG key for the repository is not imported.

GPG key issues usually give a specific error about missing key, not 'package not found'.

Trap 2: The package architecture does not match (e.g., x86_64 package on…

Architecture mismatch gives a different error.

Trap 3: The .repo file references the wrong baseurl hostname.

The hostname might be wrong, but the more fundamental issue is that the repository is probably not served via a web server.

Study all Scenario common traps →

A
The GPG key for the repository is not imported.
Why wrong: GPG key issues usually give a specific error about missing key, not 'package not found'.
B
The package architecture does not match (e.g., x86_64 package on i386).
Why wrong: Architecture mismatch gives a different error.
C
The .repo file references the wrong baseurl hostname.
Why wrong: The hostname might be wrong, but the more fundamental issue is that the repository is probably not served via a web server.
D
The repository is not being served via HTTP or FTP; it is only available as a local file path.
YUM expects an HTTP/HTTPS/FTP URL unless using file:/// but baseurl often omitted.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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Frequently asked questions

What does the LPIC-1 exam test about Scenario?: Scenario questions test whether you can apply the concept in context, not just recognise a definition.
How should I use these practice questions?: Select your answer before revealing the explanation. Then read why each option is right or wrong — this active recall approach builds retention far faster than re-reading notes.
Can I practise just Scenario questions in a focused session?: Yes — the session launcher on this page draws every question from the Scenario domain. Use a 10-question session first to gauge your baseline, then move to 20 or 30 once the weak spots are clear.
Where can I practise other LPIC-1 topics?: Use the topic links above to move to related areas, or go back to the LPIC-1 question bank to see all topics.
Are these real exam questions or dumps?: These are original practice questions written to test the same concepts the LPIC-1 exam covers. They are not copied from any real exam or dump site.

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10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions

Mixed LPIC-1 session

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A free account saves results across sessions and highlights which topics need work.

Study resources

All LPIC-1 questions Scenario domain overview LPIC-1 exam guide

Exam traps to avoid

▸Answering from memory before reading the full scenario.
▸Missing a constraint such as cost, availability, security, scope or command context.
▸Choosing a broad answer when the question asks for the most specific fix.
▸Ignoring why the wrong options are tempting.

Scenario practice questions

What to know about Scenario

Common Scenario exam traps

Scenario questions

Refer to the exhibit. A user runs 'python --version' and gets 'Python 3.9.1'. Which command would run Python 2 instead?

A server has a partition /dev/sda2 that is almost full. The admin suspects a large file has been deleted but is still held open by a process. Which command can identify such a file?

A system administrator needs to install a package 'foo' which depends on library 'libbar.so.2' that is not currently installed. The administrator runs `apt-get install foo` and receives an error about unmet dependencies. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

A Linux system has two SATA disks: /dev/sda (250GB) and /dev/sdb (500GB). The administrator wants to create a logical volume group named 'vgdata' using partitions on both disks, then create a 600GB logical volume named 'lvdata' for a database. Which sequence of commands should be used?

Which FHS directory contains essential binaries needed for booting and repairing the system, even before /usr is mounted?

Track your progress over time

Start a Scenario only practice session

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Devices, Filesystems and FHS practice questions

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LPIC-1 fundamentals practice questions

LPIC-1 scenario practice questions

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Frequently asked questions

Track your progress

Study resources

Exam traps to avoid