LPIC-1 Devices, Filesystems and FHS Practice Question
A Linux administrator needs to create an ext4 filesystem on the second partition of the third SCSI disk, /dev/sdc2. After running mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdc2, the command completes successfully. Which additional step is required before the filesystem can be mounted and used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that creating a filesystem automatically makes it available, or that editing /etc/fstab mounts it immediately.
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
✓
Create a mount point and mount the filesystem.
Creating a filesystem with mkfs.ext4 only writes the filesystem metadata and structures onto the partition. To access the filesystem, it must be mounted to a directory in the existing directory tree. The administrator must create a mount point and use the mount command. Without mounting, the filesystem remains inaccessible to users and applications.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a mount point and mount the filesystem.
Why this is correct
After mkfs.ext4 successfully creates the filesystem, it must be mounted to a directory (mount point) to be accessible. The administrator should create a directory such as /mnt/data and then run mount /dev/sdc2 /mnt/data. Without mounting, the filesystem is not part of the directory tree and cannot be used.
- ✗
Run e2fsck /dev/sdc2 to initialize the journal.
Why it's wrong here
e2fsck is a filesystem check and repair tool, not a step to finalize filesystem creation. The journal is already initialized by mkfs.ext4 during creation. Running e2fsck on a freshly created filesystem is unnecessary and may even be refused if the filesystem is marked clean. It does not replace the need to mount the new filesystem.
- ✗
Add an entry to /etc/fstab to make the filesystem usable immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Adding an entry to /etc/fstab does not mount the filesystem immediately; it only defines how it should be mounted at boot or when mount -a is run. The administrator still needs to mount it manually or run mount -a. Editing /etc/fstab alone does not make the filesystem accessible right away.
- ✗
Run partprobe /dev/sdc to update the kernel partition table.
Why it's wrong here
partprobe is used to inform the kernel of partition table changes after modifying partitions. In this scenario, the partition /dev/sdc2 already exists and mkfs.ext4 succeeded, so the kernel already recognizes it. Running partprobe is unnecessary and does not mount the filesystem or make it usable.
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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
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