This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of devices, filesystems and fhs. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 system administrator needs to check if a filesystem has any errors without actually performing a repair. Which command should be used?
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.
fsck -y /dev/sdb1
Why wrong: fsck -y automatically answers 'yes' to repairs, fixing errors.
fsck -N /dev/sdb1
Why wrong: fsck -N only shows what would be done without actually checking the filesystem.
fsck -n /dev/sdb1
fsck -n performs a non-interactive, read-only check.
e2fsck -p /dev/sdb1
Why wrong: e2fsck -p automatically repairs without asking.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
fsck -n /dev/sdb1
The `-n` option with `fsck` performs a read-only check, displaying any filesystem errors without making any modifications or repairs. This is the correct choice for a non-destructive check that only reports issues.
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.
fsck -y /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
fsck -y automatically answers 'yes' to repairs, fixing errors.
fsck -N /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
fsck -N only shows what would be done without actually checking the filesystem.
fsck -n /dev/sdb1
Why this is correct
fsck -n performs a non-interactive, read-only check.
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.
e2fsck -p /dev/sdb1
Why it's wrong here
e2fsck -p automatically repairs without asking.
Common exam traps
The trap here is confusing `-N` (which only shows what would be checked without actually scanning) with `-n` (which performs a read-only scan), leading candidates to mistakenly choose the dry-run option instead of the actual read-only check.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
fsck -N only shows what would be done without actually checking the filesystem.
Detailed technical explanation
The `fsck -n` option opens the filesystem in read-only mode, preventing any writes to the superblock or inode tables. This is particularly useful when checking a filesystem that is mounted read-only or when you want to diagnose issues without risking further corruption from automated repair attempts. The underlying `e2fsck` (for ext2/3/4) respects this flag by skipping all write operations.
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: fsck -n /dev/sdb1 — The `-n` option with `fsck` performs a read-only check, displaying any filesystem errors without making any modifications or repairs. This is the correct choice for a non-destructive check that only reports issues.
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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