XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
A technician needs to create a new ext4 filesystem on /dev/sdb1 and mount it persistently at /mnt/data. Which set of commands accomplishes this?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is conflating 'persistent' with 'immediately usable' — candidates forget that fstab alone does not mount the filesystem, and that mkfs must precede any mount attempt.
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
✓
mkfs -t ext4 /dev/sdb1; mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data; echo '/dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2' >> /etc/fstab
The correct sequence must (1) create the filesystem with mkfs, (2) mount it now so it is usable immediately, and (3) add an /etc/fstab entry so the mount persists across reboots. Option A does all three in the right order using mkfs -t ext4, mount, and an fstab line with dump=0 and fsck pass=2. The fsck pass value of 2 is appropriate for a non-root filesystem.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
mkfs -t ext4 /dev/sdb1; mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data; echo '/dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2' >> /etc/fstab
Why this is correct
mkfs -t ext4 creates the filesystem, mount attaches it at /mnt/data, and the /etc/fstab entry with dump 0 and pass 2 makes the mount persistent across reboots. The pass value 2 suits a non-root filesystem.
- ✗
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1; echo '/dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2' >> /etc/fstab
Why it's wrong here
This creates the filesystem and writes the fstab entry, but never mounts it, so /mnt/data stays unmounted until reboot. The mount command is missing. This sequence suits preparing a filesystem for a later reboot, not immediate persistent use.
- ✗
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1; mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data
Why it's wrong here
Mounting succeeds only for the current session; nothing is written to /etc/fstab, so the filesystem vanishes after reboot. It is tempting because mkfs.ext4 plus mount is the standard way to create and attach a filesystem temporarily, which is exactly right when persistence is not required.
- ✗
echo '/dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2' >> /etc/fstab; mount -a
Why it's wrong here
Writing the fstab entry before mkfs.ext4 leaves /dev/sdb1 without a filesystem, so mount -a fails and the persistent mount never materialises. It is tempting because fstab plus mount -a is the standard mechanism for persistent mounts, and would be correct once the filesystem already exists on the partition.
- ✗
fdisk /dev/sdb1; mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/data; echo '/dev/sdb1 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2' >> /etc/fstab
Why it's wrong here
fdisk partitions a disk; it does not create an ext4 filesystem, so mounting /dev/sdb1 fails without mkfs.ext4. The fstab entry alone cannot compensate. fdisk suits partitioning raw disks before filesystem creation, not formatting an existing partition.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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Navigating the Filesystem
Key term
ext4
ext4 is the default file system for many Linux distributions, designed to store and manage files on a hard drive or SSD with journaling, large volume support, and backward compatibility.
Key term
Value
Value is the perceived worth, benefit, or usefulness that a service, product, or activity delivers to stakeholders, especially customers and the business.
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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.