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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
[global]
workgroup = EXAMPLE
security = user
passdb backend = tdbsam
[data]
path = /srv/samba/data
valid users = @staff
write list = @admin
read only = yes
A user in group staff (but not admin) tries to write to the share. What is the most likely error?
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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Connection successful but cannot write
Option C is correct because the user is in group 'staff' but not 'admin', and the Samba share configuration likely has 'write list = @admin' or similar, restricting write access to the admin group. The connection succeeds (the share is visible and readable), but the write operation fails silently or returns a permission error at the filesystem level, not a network-level error. This matches the scenario where authentication passes but authorization for writing fails.
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.
✗
NT_STATUS_BAD_NETWORK_NAME
Why it's wrong here
Indicates share not found, but share exists.
✗
NT_STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED
Why it's wrong here
Access denied would occur if not in valid users; but here valid includes staff.
✓
Connection successful but cannot write
Why this is correct
The user can connect (valid includes staff) but write fails due to read only and no write list.
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.
✗
NT_STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND
Why it's wrong here
Indicates path not found.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse network-level errors (bad network name, object not found) with authorization errors, assuming any failure to write must produce a specific NT_STATUS code, when in practice Samba often returns a generic 'cannot write' message at the client level.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Samba maps Windows ACLs to POSIX permissions using the 'force user', 'write list', and 'valid users' parameters in smb.conf. When a user is not in the write list, Samba allows read-only access at the SMB protocol level, returning a 'STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED' for write attempts, but many SMB clients (e.g., smbclient) translate this into a 'cannot write' message. The underlying mechanism involves the SMB2/3 CREATE request failing with STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED when the user tries to open a file for writing, but the initial tree connect succeeds.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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.
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Connection successful but cannot write — Option C is correct because the user is in group 'staff' but not 'admin', and the Samba share configuration likely has 'write list = @admin' or similar, restricting write access to the admin group. The connection succeeds (the share is visible and readable), but the write operation fails silently or returns a permission error at the filesystem level, not a network-level error. This matches the scenario where authentication passes but authorization for writing fails.
What should I do if I get this LPIC-2 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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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