LPIC-1 Devices, Filesystems and FHS Practice Question
A Linux system fails to boot with the error 'Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)'. After investigation, the administrator suspects that the root filesystem device is not being detected. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse a missing initrd (which handles driver loading) with a root device misconfiguration, but the specific 'unknown-block(0,0)' error directly points to the root= parameter pointing to a device that does not exist, not a driver or initrd issue.
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
✓
The root= kernel parameter points to a non-existent device
The error 'VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)' indicates the kernel cannot locate the device specified by the 'root=' kernel parameter. If this parameter points to a non-existent device (e.g., wrong partition number or missing disk), the kernel fails to mount the root filesystem, causing a panic. This is the most direct cause among the options.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The root filesystem is corrupted
Why it's wrong here
Corruption would typically cause a different error during mount, not 'unknown-block(0,0)'.
- ✗
The initrd file is missing or corrupted
Why it's wrong here
Missing initrd could cause boot issues but would not necessarily produce 'unknown-block(0,0)'; it often results in a different error.
- ✓
The root= kernel parameter points to a non-existent device
Why this is correct
If the root= parameter specifies a device that does not exist or is not recognized, the kernel fails with this error.
- ✗
The SATA controller driver is not included in the kernel
Why it's wrong here
Missing driver could prevent disk detection, but the error would likely indicate no block devices found, not a specific device ID.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.