XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
A junior administrator needs to add a persistent mount entry for a new XFS filesystem on /dev/sdb1 at the /data directory so it is mounted automatically at every boot. The administrator opens /etc/fstab and must identify the correct field order for the entry. Which field order should be used in the /etc/fstab line?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming field order is flexible or that mount options come before the filesystem type, when fstab parsing is strictly positional.
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
✓
device, mount point, filesystem type, mount options, dump, fsck pass
The /etc/fstab format is strictly positional: source device, mount point, filesystem type, options, dump flag, and fsck pass. For an XFS volume on /dev/sdb1 mounted at /data, the entry must follow that order so systemd and mount can resolve the device and target correctly and apply options such as defaults or noatime. Misordering any field prevents the persistent mount from working at boot.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
mount point, device, filesystem type, dump, mount options, fsck pass
Why it's wrong here
This ordering swaps the device and mount point and places dump before options. The fstab parser expects the first field to identify the source device and the second to be the target directory, so the entry would be rejected or misinterpreted. The dump field must come after the mount options, making this sequence invalid for a persistent XFS mount at /data.
- ✗
UUID, filesystem type, mount options, mount point, dump, fsck pass
Why it's wrong here
Although using a UUID for the device is good practice, this line places the filesystem type before options and the mount point, which breaks the required order. The mount point must be the second field and mount options the fourth. With this sequence the kernel would attempt to mount the wrong path and the entry would not function.
- ✓
device, mount point, filesystem type, mount options, dump, fsck pass
Why this is correct
The fstab file uses six whitespace-separated fields in this exact order: the block device or UUID, the mount point directory, the filesystem type (xfs here), the comma-separated mount options, the dump backup flag, and the fsck pass number. Writing them in this sequence lets systemd's mount units parse and mount /dev/sdb1 at /data on every boot.
- ✗
device, filesystem type, mount point, fsck pass, dump, mount options
Why it's wrong here
Here the filesystem type precedes the mount point and the trailing fields are reordered. fstab requires the mount point as the second field and the filesystem type as the third, with dump and pass last. This arrangement would cause mount to look for a directory named xfs or fail to parse the line, so /data would not mount at boot.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Logical Volume Management (LVM)
Key term
fstab
fstab is a system configuration file in Linux that defines how and where storage devices and partitions are mounted at boot time.
Key term
fsck
fsck is a command-line tool that checks and repairs inconsistencies in a file system, ensuring data integrity.
About these practice questions
One of 781 original XK0-006 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This XK0-006 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the XK0-006 exam.