LPIC-1 Devices, Filesystems and FHS Practice Question
A Linux administrator is preparing a new server and needs to create an ext4 filesystem on the /dev/sdb1 partition. Which command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse filesystem creation tools with filesystem checking or tuning tools, or using mke2fs -j which creates ext3.
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
The mkfs command is the standard utility for creating filesystems. Using mkfs -t ext4 /dev/sdb1 explicitly specifies the ext4 filesystem type. This invokes the mkfs.ext4 program, which writes the ext4 superblock, inode tables, and journal to the partition. Other commands like fsck and tune2fs are for checking or modifying existing filesystems, not for creation.
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
Why this is correct
The mkfs command with the -t option specifies the filesystem type. mkfs -t ext4 /dev/sdb1 creates an ext4 filesystem on the partition. This is a standard and correct way to format a partition with a specific filesystem type. The command invokes the appropriate mkfs.ext4 helper.
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fsck.ext4 /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
fsck.ext4 is a filesystem check and repair tool for ext4. It is used to verify and fix filesystem inconsistencies, not to create a filesystem. Running fsck on an unformatted partition would likely fail or produce errors. It does not format the partition or write filesystem structures.
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tune2fs -t ext4 /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
tune2fs is used to adjust tunable filesystem parameters on ext2, ext3, or ext4 filesystems. It cannot create a filesystem. The -t option is not a valid tune2fs option for specifying filesystem type. Running tune2fs on a raw partition would result in an error because no valid filesystem superblock exists.
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mke2fs -j /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
mke2fs -j creates an ext3 filesystem, not ext4. The -j option adds a journal, which is the defining feature of ext3. While ext4 also has a journal, mke2fs -j does not enable ext4-specific features such as extents, large file support, and delayed allocation. To create ext4, one would use mke2fs -t ext4.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official LPI exam blueprint
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.