60 Linux · systemd & Boot questions from the System Administration bank, written for Indian campus drives and tech interviews. Every question has a verified answer and an AI-tutor explanation on placd.
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A.list services by how long they took to start at boot
B.set the default boot target to graphical
C.make service X impossible to start (symlink to /dev/null)
D.make service X start automatically at boot
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
2. Which command will make service X start automatically at boot?
Junior
A.systemctl is-active X
B.systemctl isolate multi-user.target
C.systemctl enable X
D.systemctl start X
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
3. Which statement is correct?
Junior
A.systemctl enable X — reload systemd after editing unit files
B.systemctl enable X — show a service's state, PID and recent log lines
C.systemctl enable X — stop and start service X in one step
D.systemctl enable X — make service X start automatically at boot
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
4. What does systemctl start X do?
Junior
A.report whether service X is currently running
B.list services by how long they took to start at boot
C.start service X immediately
D.stop and start service X in one step
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
5. Which command will start service X immediately?
Junior
A.systemctl set-default graphical.target
B.systemctl status X
C.systemctl start X
D.systemd-analyze blame
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
6. Which statement is correct?
Junior
A.systemctl start X — stop and start service X in one step
B.systemctl start X — reload systemd after editing unit files
C.systemctl start X — show a service's state, PID and recent log lines
D.systemctl start X — start service X immediately
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
7. What does systemctl mask X do?
Mid
A.switch the running system to the multi-user target
B.start service X immediately
C.stop and start service X in one step
D.make service X impossible to start (symlink to /dev/null)
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
8. Which command will make service X impossible to start (symlink to /dev/null)?
Mid
A.systemctl list-units --failed
B.systemctl enable X
C.systemctl mask X
D.systemctl set-default graphical.target
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
9. Which statement is correct?
Mid
A.systemctl mask X — show a service's state, PID and recent log lines
B.systemctl mask X — list services by how long they took to start at boot
C.systemctl mask X — report whether service X is currently running
D.systemctl mask X — make service X impossible to start (symlink to /dev/null)
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
10. What does systemctl status X do?
Junior
A.stop and start service X in one step
B.show a service's state, PID and recent log lines
C.reload systemd after editing unit files
D.report whether service X is currently running
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
11. Which command will show a service's state, PID and recent log lines?
Junior
A.systemctl isolate multi-user.target
B.systemctl list-units --failed
C.systemctl status X
D.systemctl daemon-reload
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
12. Which statement is correct?
Junior
A.systemctl status X — stop and start service X in one step
B.systemctl status X — show a service's state, PID and recent log lines
C.systemctl status X — make service X impossible to start (symlink to /dev/null)
D.systemctl status X — list units that have failed
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
13. What does systemctl daemon-reload do?
Mid
A.list units that have failed
B.make service X start automatically at boot
C.reload systemd after editing unit files
D.stop and start service X in one step
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
14. Which command will reload systemd after editing unit files?
Mid
A.systemctl enable X
B.systemctl daemon-reload
C.systemctl set-default graphical.target
D.systemctl restart X
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
15. Which statement is correct?
Mid
A.systemctl daemon-reload — reload systemd after editing unit files
B.systemctl daemon-reload — report whether service X is currently running
C.systemctl daemon-reload — start service X immediately
D.systemctl daemon-reload — set the default boot target to graphical
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
16. What does systemd-analyze blame do?
Mid
A.set the default boot target to graphical
B.make service X impossible to start (symlink to /dev/null)
C.list services by how long they took to start at boot
D.start service X immediately
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
17. Which command will list services by how long they took to start at boot?
Mid
A.systemctl daemon-reload
B.systemd-analyze blame
C.systemctl list-units --failed
D.systemctl restart X
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
18. Which statement is correct?
Mid
A.systemd-analyze blame — show a service's state, PID and recent log lines
B.systemd-analyze blame — list services by how long they took to start at boot
C.systemd-analyze blame — switch the running system to the multi-user target
D.systemd-analyze blame — make service X start automatically at boot
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
19. What is systemd target?
Junior
A.a grouping of units roughly equivalent to a runlevel (e.g. multi-user)
B.a temporary root filesystem loaded to mount the real root during boot
C.an unrecoverable kernel error that halts the system
D.the bootloader that loads the Linux kernel and initramfs
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
20. Which term means: "a grouping of units roughly equivalent to a runlevel (e.g. multi-user)"?
Junior
A.rescue.target
B.UEFI vs BIOS
C.systemd target
D.GRUB2
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
21. Which statement is correct?
Junior
A.systemd target — UEFI is the modern firmware (GPT, Secure Boot); BIOS is the legacy firmware (MBR)
B.systemd target — the bootloader that loads the Linux kernel and initramfs
C.systemd target — an unrecoverable kernel error that halts the system
D.systemd target — a grouping of units roughly equivalent to a runlevel (e.g. multi-user)
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
22. What is initramfs?
Mid
A.a unit that starts a service on demand when its socket is accessed
B.an unrecoverable kernel error that halts the system
C.a temporary root filesystem loaded to mount the real root during boot
D.UEFI is the modern firmware (GPT, Secure Boot); BIOS is the legacy firmware (MBR)
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
23. Which term means: "a temporary root filesystem loaded to mount the real root during boot"?
Mid
A.UEFI vs BIOS
B.rescue.target
C.dracut
D.initramfs
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
24. Which statement is correct?
Mid
A.initramfs — a unit that starts a service on demand when its socket is accessed
B.initramfs — a grouping of units roughly equivalent to a runlevel (e.g. multi-user)
C.initramfs — a minimal single-user mode for system recovery
D.initramfs — a temporary root filesystem loaded to mount the real root during boot
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
25. What is GRUB2?
Mid
A.a minimal single-user mode for system recovery
B.a grouping of units roughly equivalent to a runlevel (e.g. multi-user)
C.the bootloader that loads the Linux kernel and initramfs
D.a temporary root filesystem loaded to mount the real root during boot
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
26. Which term means: "the bootloader that loads the Linux kernel and initramfs"?
Mid
A.GRUB2
B.initramfs
C.UEFI vs BIOS
D.kernel panic
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
27. Which statement is correct?
Mid
A.GRUB2 — a grouping of units roughly equivalent to a runlevel (e.g. multi-user)
B.GRUB2 — the bootloader that loads the Linux kernel and initramfs
C.GRUB2 — a temporary root filesystem loaded to mount the real root during boot
D.GRUB2 — a service that signals readiness to systemd via sd_notify
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
28. What does systemctl restart X do?
Junior
A.make service X impossible to start (symlink to /dev/null)
B.make service X start automatically at boot
C.list services by how long they took to start at boot
D.stop and start service X in one step
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
29. Which command will stop and start service X in one step?
Junior
A.systemctl status X
B.systemctl set-default graphical.target
C.systemctl restart X
D.systemctl isolate multi-user.target
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
30. Which statement is correct?
Junior
A.systemctl restart X — list units that have failed
B.systemctl restart X — list services by how long they took to start at boot
C.systemctl restart X — set the default boot target to graphical
D.systemctl restart X — stop and start service X in one step
Answer + AI explanation with Pro
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