EX200 Deploy, configure, and maintain systems Practice Question
This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of deploy, configure, and maintain systems. 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 user reports that they cannot create files in their home directory. The administrator checks permissions and sees drwxr-xr-x. What is the likely cause?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The user is not the owner of the directory
The permissions `drwxr-xr-x` mean the owner has read, write, and execute (rwx) access, while group and others have only read and execute (r-x). Since the user cannot create files (which requires write permission), the user must not be the owner of the directory. Only the owner (or root) can write to it, so the likely cause is that the user is not the owner.
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.
✗
The directory has the sticky bit set
Why it's wrong here
The sticky bit would appear as 't' in permissions; it is not set here.
✗
The filesystem is read-only
Why it's wrong here
Would cause a different error message and affect all users.
✓
The user is not the owner of the directory
Why this is correct
If the user is not the owner, they only have read and execute permissions, preventing file creation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The user is not in the group
Why it's wrong here
Group permissions are r-x, so even if in group, user cannot write.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Red Hat often tests the misconception that group membership alone grants write access, but here the group lacks write permission (`r-x`), so even being in the group does not allow file creation; the trap is focusing on group membership rather than the actual permission bits.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, directory write permission controls the ability to create, delete, or rename files within that directory, as these operations modify the directory's inode entries. The `ls -ld` command shows the directory's permissions, and the user's effective UID is compared to the directory's owner UID to determine if they are the owner. In real-world scenarios, this often occurs when a home directory is created with incorrect ownership (e.g., by a provisioning script) or when a user's UID changes after a system migration, requiring `chown` to fix.
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.
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — This question tests Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The user is not the owner of the directory — The permissions `drwxr-xr-x` mean the owner has read, write, and execute (rwx) access, while group and others have only read and execute (r-x). Since the user cannot create files (which requires write permission), the user must not be the owner of the directory. Only the owner (or root) can write to it, so the likely cause is that the user is not the owner.
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.
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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