easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux administrator is tasked with adding a new…
A Linux administrator is tasked with adding a new 1TB hard drive to a server. The drive has been partitioned and formatted with ext4, resulting in the device /dev/sdb1. The administrator needs the drive to be mounted persistently at /data. After adding an entry to /etc/fstab, the administrator runs 'mount -a' and sees the error: 'mount: /data: mount point does not exist.' Which of the following should the administrator do first to resolve the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume the mount point is automatically created by the system or that the error indicates a filesystem problem, leading them to choose fsck or reformatting instead of the simple directory creation step.
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
✓
Create the /data directory with mkdir
The error 'mount point does not exist' indicates that the directory /data has not been created on the filesystem. The mount command requires an existing directory to attach the device to. Creating the /data directory with mkdir resolves this, allowing mount -a to succeed.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Run mkfs.ext4 on /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
The filesystem is already formatted; reformatting would destroy data.
- ✗
Reboot the server
Why it's wrong here
Rebooting would not create the missing directory.
- ✓
Create the /data directory with mkdir
Why this is correct
The mount point must exist before mounting; mkdir creates it.
- ✗
Run fsck on /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
fsck checks filesystem integrity, not missing mount points.
Visual reference
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Linux Fundamentals and History
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
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.