This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 Samba server is configured to authenticate users against an Active Directory domain using winbind. After joining the domain, some users report that they cannot access shares, while others can. The administrator runs 'wbinfo -u' and sees a list of domain users. However, 'getent passwd' does not show domain users. Which configuration parameter is most likely missing or misconfigured in /etc/samba/smb.conf?
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.
winbind enum users = yes
This enables getent passwd to list domain users.
winbind use default domain = yes
Why wrong: This controls whether the domain is prepended to usernames.
winbind nested groups = yes
Why wrong: This controls nested group support, not user enumeration.
idmap config * : backend = tdb
Why wrong: This sets the ID mapping backend, not enumeration.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
winbind enum users = yes
The `wbinfo -u` command lists domain users because it queries the winbind daemon directly, which has successfully joined the AD domain. However, `getent passwd` does not show domain users because the Name Service Switch (NSS) module for winbind is not configured to enumerate users. The parameter `winbind enum users = yes` in smb.conf tells winbind to provide user enumeration to NSS, allowing commands like `getent passwd` to return domain users. Without this, the NSS winbind module will not list domain users, even though authentication may work for known users.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
winbind enum users = yes
Why this is correct
This enables getent passwd to list domain users.
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.
winbind use default domain = yes
Why it's wrong here
This controls whether the domain is prepended to usernames.
winbind nested groups = yes
Why it's wrong here
This controls nested group support, not user enumeration.
idmap config * : backend = tdb
Why it's wrong here
This sets the ID mapping backend, not enumeration.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates assume `wbinfo -u` and `getent passwd` should behave identically, but they do not realize that `wbinfo` bypasses NSS and directly queries winbind, while `getent` relies on NSS configuration and the `winbind enum users` parameter.
Detailed technical explanation
The NSS winbind module (libnss_winbind) relies on the `winbind enum users` parameter to decide whether to populate the user list during enumeration calls like `getent passwd`. Even if this parameter is disabled, winbind can still resolve individual users by name (e.g., `getent passwd DOMAIN\username` works) because the NSS module uses the `getpwnam` call, which queries winbind directly. In large AD domains, administrators often disable enumeration (`winbind enum users = no`) to avoid performance issues from caching thousands of users, but this causes `getent passwd` to return no domain users.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-2 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
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FAQ
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: winbind enum users = yes — The `wbinfo -u` command lists domain users because it queries the winbind daemon directly, which has successfully joined the AD domain. However, `getent passwd` does not show domain users because the Name Service Switch (NSS) module for winbind is not configured to enumerate users. The parameter `winbind enum users = yes` in smb.conf tells winbind to provide user enumeration to NSS, allowing commands like `getent passwd` to return domain users. Without this, the NSS winbind module will not list domain users, even though authentication may work for known users.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-2 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-2 exam.
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