This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of devices, filesystems and fhs. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A disk is partitioned with GPT. The administrator wants to see the partition type GUIDs and partition UUIDs. Which command is most appropriate?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
blkid /dev/sda
Why wrong: Incorrect: blkid shows filesystem UUID, not partition GUID.
lsblk -f /dev/sda
Why wrong: Incorrect: lsblk shows block devices but not partition type GUIDs.
fdisk -l /dev/sda
Why wrong: Incorrect: fdisk does not support GPT partition UUID display.
gdisk -l /dev/sda
Correct: gdisk -l displays GPT partition details including UUIDs.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
gdisk -l /dev/sda
Option D is correct because `gdisk -l /dev/sda` is the GPT-specific partitioning tool that displays partition type GUIDs (e.g., EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7 for Microsoft basic data) and partition unique GUIDs (UUIDs) for each partition on a GPT disk. Unlike MBR tools, GPT stores these 128-bit identifiers in the partition table headers, and `gdisk` is designed to read and present them directly.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
blkid /dev/sda
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: blkid shows filesystem UUID, not partition GUID.
lsblk -f /dev/sda
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: lsblk shows block devices but not partition type GUIDs.
fdisk -l /dev/sda
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: fdisk does not support GPT partition UUID display.
gdisk -l /dev/sda
Why this is correct
Correct: gdisk -l displays GPT partition details including UUIDs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse filesystem UUIDs (shown by `blkid` and `lsblk -f`) with partition table GUIDs (type and partition UUIDs), and assume `fdisk -l` is sufficient for GPT details, but `fdisk` omits the GUIDs that `gdisk` specifically exposes.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incorrect: blkid shows filesystem UUID, not partition GUID.
Detailed technical explanation
GPT partition table entries contain a 16-byte partition type GUID (defined by the UEFI specification, e.g., C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B for EFI System Partition) and a 16-byte unique partition GUID (UUID) that identifies the partition globally. `gdisk -l` parses the GPT header and entry array from LBA 1 and subsequent LBAs, outputting these GUIDs in human-readable form, whereas `blkid` and `lsblk` query the kernel's block device attributes via sysfs or udev, which expose filesystem UUIDs but not the partition table's GUIDs. In real-world scenarios, verifying partition type GUIDs is critical for UEFI boot setups (e.g., ensuring the ESP has the correct GUID) or for cloning disks where partition UUIDs must match for bootloaders like GRUB.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-1 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Devices, Filesystems and FHS — This question tests Devices, Filesystems and FHS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: gdisk -l /dev/sda — Option D is correct because `gdisk -l /dev/sda` is the GPT-specific partitioning tool that displays partition type GUIDs (e.g., EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7 for Microsoft basic data) and partition unique GUIDs (UUIDs) for each partition on a GPT disk. Unlike MBR tools, GPT stores these 128-bit identifiers in the partition table headers, and `gdisk` is designed to read and present them directly.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-1 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI 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 LPIC-1 exam.
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