LPIC-1 Administrative Tasks Practice Question
Which command displays all error messages from the systemd journal since the last boot?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the 'level-or-above' behavior of `-p` and think `-p err` only shows exact 'err' messages, or they may incorrectly assume `-p warning` includes errors, when in fact 'warning' is a lower priority and does not cover all error levels.
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
✓
journalctl -b -p err
`journalctl -b -p err` filters the systemd journal to show only messages with a priority level of 'err' (error) or higher since the last boot. The `-b` flag restricts output to the current boot, and `-p err` selects messages at the 'err' level and above (including 'crit', 'alert', and 'emerg'), which are all error-related. This matches the requirement to display 'all error messages' from the systemd journal since the last boot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
journalctl -b -p warning
Why it's wrong here
Shows warning priority, not error.
- ✓
journalctl -b -p err
Why this is correct
Correct: shows error messages for current boot.
- ✗
journalctl -b -p crit
Why it's wrong here
Shows critical priority, not error.
- ✗
journalctl -b -p info
Why it's wrong here
Shows informational messages.
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