LFCS Storage Management Practice Question
A system administrator needs to ensure that the /dev/sdb1 filesystem is automatically mounted at /data with the noatime option at boot. The filesystem's UUID is known. Which entry in /etc/fstab is correct?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is forgetting to include defaults alongside noatime, or using the wrong pass number (1 instead of 2) for a non-root filesystem, which can cause boot issues.
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
✓
UUID=1234-5678 /data ext4 defaults,noatime 0 2
The correct /etc/fstab entry must use the UUID for stable identification, specify the mount point, filesystem type, include defaults and noatime in the options, and set the dump and pass fields appropriately (0 and 2 for a non-root filesystem). The entry with UUID, defaults,noatime, 0, and 2 meets all these criteria.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
UUID=1234-5678 /data ext4 defaults,noatime 0 2
Why this is correct
This entry uses the UUID to identify the filesystem, specifies the mount point /data, the filesystem type ext4, and includes the noatime option along with defaults. The dump field is 0 and the pass field is 2, which is appropriate for a non-root filesystem. This ensures the filesystem is mounted at boot with the desired option.
- ✗
UUID=1234-5678 /data ext4 noatime 0 2
Why it's wrong here
This entry omits the defaults option. While noatime is specified, without defaults, other essential mount options like rw, suid, dev, exec, and auto are not applied. The filesystem would be mounted read-only or with unexpected behavior. The defaults option is typically included to provide a baseline set of options.
- ✗
/dev/sdb1 /data ext4 defaults,noatime 0 1
Why it's wrong here
This entry uses the device path instead of the UUID, which is less reliable because device names can change. Additionally, the pass field is 1, which is reserved for the root filesystem. Using 1 for a non-root filesystem can cause fsck to run in an unexpected order or incorrectly. The pass field should be 2 for non-root filesystems.
- ✗
UUID=1234-5678 /data ext4 defaults,noatime 1 2
Why it's wrong here
The dump field is set to 1, which enables the dump backup utility to include this filesystem. However, dump is rarely used today, and setting it to 1 is unnecessary and can cause confusion. The dump field should typically be 0. All other fields are correct, but this error makes the entry non-standard.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This LFCS question is part of Courseiva's 406-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. 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 Linux Foundation exam blueprint
This LFCS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Linux Foundation 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 LFCS exam.