- A
chage -E $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob; chage -I -1 bob
Correct: chage -E sets new expiration date; chage -I -1 disables the inactivity period lock, reactivating the account.
- B
usermod -e 2024-12-31 bob; passwd -S bob
Why wrong: Incorrect: Hardcoded date may not be 30 days from now; passwd -S only shows status, does not unlock.
- C
chage -d 0 bob; usermod -L bob
Why wrong: Incorrect: chage -d 0 forces password change; usermod -L locks the account, which is the opposite of reactivation.
- D
usermod -e $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob; passwd -u bob
Why wrong: Incorrect: usermod -e with shell expansion may work but passwd -u only unlocks password, not the inactivity lock; the account remains locked due to inactivity.
Question 215 of 537
EX200 Manage users and groups Practice Question
This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of manage users and groups. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 system enforces a security policy that user accounts must be disabled after 90 days of inactivity. The system administrator has configured /etc/shadow accordingly with the proper fields. User 'bob' has been on leave for 95 days. When bob returns and tries to log in, he is unable to do so. The administrator checks the shadow file and sees that bob's password expiration date has passed and the account is locked due to inactivity (the inactivity period has exceeded). The administrator wants to immediately reactivate bob's account without changing the password, and also wants to set the account to expire in 30 days from now (relative to the current date). Which set of commands should the administrator run to achieve this goal?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"immediately / without restart"Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
✓
chage -E $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob; chage -I -1 bob
Option A is correct because `chage -E $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob` sets the account expiration date to 30 days from now, and `chage -I -1 bob` disables the inactivity period (sets it to -1, meaning no inactivity lockout), which immediately reactivates the account without changing the password. This directly addresses the requirement to unlock the account (which was locked due to exceeding the inactivity period) and set a new expiration date.
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.
- ✓
chage -E $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob; chage -I -1 bob
Why this is correct
Correct: chage -E sets new expiration date; chage -I -1 disables the inactivity period lock, reactivating the account.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
usermod -e 2024-12-31 bob; passwd -S bob
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Hardcoded date may not be 30 days from now; passwd -S only shows status, does not unlock.
- ✗
chage -d 0 bob; usermod -L bob
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: chage -d 0 forces password change; usermod -L locks the account, which is the opposite of reactivation.
- ✗
usermod -e $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob; passwd -u bob
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: usermod -e with shell expansion may work but passwd -u only unlocks password, not the inactivity lock; the account remains locked due to inactivity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse password lock (`passwd -l`/`passwd -u`) with inactivity lock (`chage -I`), and assume `passwd -u` can reactivate an account disabled by inactivity, when in fact only `chage -I` or modifying the INACTIVE field in `/etc/shadow` can do that.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect: Hardcoded date may not be 30 days from now; passwd -S only shows status, does not unlock.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `/etc/shadow` file stores the inactivity period in the 7th field (INACTIVE), which specifies the number of days after password expiration that the account is disabled. Setting `chage -I -1` writes -1 to that field, meaning no inactivity lockout. The `chage -E` command modifies the 8th field (account expiration date). The `passwd -u` command only clears the password lock flag (`!` in the password hash field) and does not affect the INACTIVE field, so it cannot unlock an account disabled due to inactivity expiration.
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 practitioner preparing for the EX200 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
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this EX200 question test?
Manage users and groups — This question tests Manage users and groups — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: chage -E $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob; chage -I -1 bob — Option A is correct because `chage -E $(date -d +30days +%Y-%m-%d) bob` sets the account expiration date to 30 days from now, and `chage -I -1 bob` disables the inactivity period (sets it to -1, meaning no inactivity lockout), which immediately reactivates the account without changing the password. This directly addresses the requirement to unlock the account (which was locked due to exceeding the inactivity period) and set a new expiration date.
What should I do if I get this EX200 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: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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