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XK0-006 Set up a new LVM volume Practice Question
An administrator needs to set up a new LVM volume. Which two commands are necessary in the initial setup before creating a logical volume?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the order of LVM commands, thinking `lvcreate` is the first step, but LVM requires a strict hierarchy: PV → VG → LV, and `pvcreate` and `vgcreate` must precede any logical volume creation.
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
✓
vgcreate
Before creating a logical volume (LV), you must first prepare the physical storage devices and then group them into a volume group. The `pvcreate` command initializes a block device (e.g., /dev/sdb) as a physical volume (PV) by writing LVM metadata to it. The `vgcreate` command then creates a volume group (VG) from one or more PVs, which serves as the pool of storage from which logical volumes are carved. Without these two steps, the LVM subsystem has no recognized storage to allocate.
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
Why it's wrong here
mount attaches an existing filesystem to the directory tree, which requires the logical volume to already exist and be formatted. It is tempting because mounting is the final step in provisioning storage, but the stem asks for the initial setup commands: pvcreate and vgcreate.
- ✗
lvcreate
Why it's wrong here
lvcreate allocates space within an existing volume group, so it runs after pvcreate and vgcreate have established the physical and group layers. It would be the correct command once those prerequisites exist, but not during initial setup.
- ✓
vgcreate
Why this is correct
vgcreate aggregates one or more initialised physical volumes into a volume group, the storage pool from which logical volumes are carved. It must run after pvcreate and before lvcreate, satisfying the setup sequence required before any logical volume can exist.
- ✓
pvcreate
Why this is correct
pvcreate initialises a raw block device or partition as a physical volume, writing the LVM metadata label that the volume group layer requires. Without this step, vgcreate has no recognised physical volume to aggregate, so it is a mandatory prerequisite in the LVM setup sequence.
- ✗
mkfs
Why it's wrong here
mkfs writes a filesystem onto an existing block device, so it runs after the logical volume exists, not during initial setup. It is tempting because formatting is a required step before mounting, but the stem asks for the pre-creation commands: pvcreate and vgcreate.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Logical Volume Management (LVM)
Key term
Logical volume
A logical volume is a virtual storage unit created from one or more physical hard drives that can be resized, moved, or snapshotted without disrupting the system.
Key term
Physical volume
A physical volume is a storage device or partition that is initialized for use by a volume manager, allowing it to be combined into logical storage pools.
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JA
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.