LFCS Storage Management Practice Question
An administrator is troubleshooting a server that cannot mount an XFS filesystem on /dev/sdb1. The command mount /dev/sdb1 /data fails with 'wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock'. Which three commands can help diagnose the issue? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume `fsck` is a universal filesystem checker, but it is specific to ext family filesystems and should never be used on XFS, where `xfs_repair` is the correct tool.
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
✓
dmesg | tail
`dmesg | tail` displays the kernel ring buffer messages, which often contain detailed error information from the XFS driver when a mount fails. This can reveal specific reasons such as a corrupt superblock, wrong filesystem type detection, or missing kernel support, helping to pinpoint the root cause.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
dmesg | tail
Why this is correct
Shows recent kernel logs.
- ✓
xfs_repair -n /dev/sdb1
Why this is correct
Checks XFS filesystem in dry-run mode.
- ✗
fsck /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
fsck may not handle XFS correctly; could cause damage.
- ✓
xfs_db -c 'sb' -c 'p' /dev/sdb1
Why this is correct
Prints superblock information.
- ✗
blkid /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
Shows UUID and type but not diagnostic.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.