Log cleanup automation in PowerShell - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

💻 Command Output

intermediate

What is the output of this PowerShell log cleanup script?

This script deletes log files older than 7 days in the folder C:\Logs. What output will it produce if there are 3 files older than 7 days named log1.txt, log2.txt, and log3.txt?

PowerShell

Get-ChildItem -Path 'C:\Logs' -Filter '*.txt' | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-7) } | Remove-Item -Verbose

A Error: Remove-Item : Access to the path 'C:\Logs\log1.txt' is denied.

B

VERBOSE: Removing item C:\Logs\log1.txt
VERBOSE: Removing item C:\Logs\log2.txt
VERBOSE: Removing item C:\Logs\log3.txt

C No output

D

VERBOSE: Removing item C:\Logs\log1.txt
VERBOSE: Removing item C:\Logs\log2.txt

💡 Hint

The -Verbose flag shows which files are being deleted.

The script filters files older than 7 days and deletes them with verbose output. Since 3 files match, all 3 are removed with verbose messages.

📝 Syntax

intermediate

Which option correctly filters log files older than 30 days?

Choose the PowerShell command that correctly lists all .log files in D:\Logs older than 30 days.

A Get-ChildItem -Path 'D:\Logs' -Filter '*.log' | Where-Object { $_.CreationTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(30) }

B Get-ChildItem -Path 'D:\Logs' -Filter '*.log' | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -gt (Get-Date).AddDays(-30) }

C Get-ChildItem -Path 'D:\Logs' -Filter '*.log' | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(-30) }

D Get-ChildItem -Path 'D:\Logs' -Filter '*.log' | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt (Get-Date).AddDays(30) }

💡 Hint

We want files older than 30 days, so compare LastWriteTime with a date 30 days ago.

Option C correctly filters files with LastWriteTime less than the date 30 days ago, meaning older than 30 days.

🔧 Debug

advanced

Why does this log cleanup script fail with an error?

The script below is intended to delete .log files older than 10 days but throws an error. What is the cause? Get-ChildItem -Path 'E:\Logs' -Filter '*.log' | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt Get-Date.AddDays(-10) } | Remove-Item

PowerShell

Get-ChildItem -Path 'E:\Logs' -Filter '*.log' | Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt Get-Date.AddDays(-10) } | Remove-Item

A Get-Date.AddDays(-10) is incorrect syntax; Get-Date is a command and needs parentheses: (Get-Date).AddDays(-10)

B Where-Object cannot compare dates using -lt operator

C The filter '*.log' should be '*.txt' to match log files

D Remove-Item requires -Force to delete files older than 10 days

💡 Hint

Check how Get-Date and its methods are called in PowerShell.

Get-Date is a command that returns a DateTime object. To call AddDays, you must wrap Get-Date in parentheses.

🚀 Application

advanced

How to schedule a daily log cleanup task using PowerShell script?

You want to automate deleting .log files older than 14 days from C:\AppLogs every day at 2 AM. Which PowerShell command creates a scheduled task to run the cleanup script daily at 2 AM?

A $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute 'PowerShell.exe' -Argument '-File C:\Scripts\CleanupLogs.ps1'; $trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Daily -At 2am; Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName 'DailyLogCleanup' -Action $action -Trigger $trigger

B New-ScheduledTask -TaskName 'DailyLogCleanup' -ScriptPath 'C:\Scripts\CleanupLogs.ps1' -Daily -At 2am

C schtasks /create /tn DailyLogCleanup /tr 'PowerShell.exe -File C:\Scripts\CleanupLogs.ps1' /sc hourly /st 02:00

D Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName 'DailyLogCleanup' -Script 'C:\Scripts\CleanupLogs.ps1' -Schedule Daily -Time 2am

💡 Hint

Use New-ScheduledTaskAction and New-ScheduledTaskTrigger to define the task, then Register-ScheduledTask to create it.

Option A correctly uses PowerShell cmdlets to create an action and trigger, then registers the scheduled task.

🧠 Conceptual

expert

What is the best way to ensure a PowerShell log cleanup script handles locked files gracefully?

You have a script that deletes old log files but sometimes fails because some files are locked by other processes. Which approach best handles this situation?

A Run the script as Administrator to bypass file locks

B Add -Force parameter to Remove-Item to force deletion of locked files

C Use Start-Sleep to wait 10 seconds before deleting files to avoid locks

D Use Try-Catch blocks around Remove-Item to catch errors and log locked files without stopping the script

💡 Hint

Think about error handling to keep the script running even if some files cannot be deleted.

Try-Catch lets the script continue running and handle locked files by logging or skipping them, which is safer and more reliable.