LPIC-1 System Architecture Practice Question
A system administrator notices that a server with a freshly installed Linux system fails to boot with the error 'No bootable device found'. The server has a single SATA hard disk connected to the motherboard's SATA controller. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse a pre-boot firmware error with a bootloader or kernel issue, leading them to incorrectly select options related to GRUB configuration or initramfs modules, when the actual problem is a simple BIOS boot order misconfiguration.
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 BIOS boot order is set to a device that does not contain a bootable operating system.
The error 'No bootable device found' occurs during the BIOS/UEFI POST phase, before any bootloader is loaded. This indicates that the system firmware cannot find a valid boot sector on any device in its boot order. Since the server has a single SATA hard disk, the most likely cause is that the BIOS boot order is set to a different device (e.g., a network boot or removable media) that does not contain a bootable operating system, or the hard disk itself is not listed first in the boot priority.
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 formatted with an unsupported filesystem type.
Why it's wrong here
An unsupported root filesystem would cause a kernel panic after the bootloader loads, not a boot device error.
- ✗
The kernel module for the SATA controller is not included in the initramfs.
Why it's wrong here
A missing kernel module would cause a kernel panic during boot, not a 'No bootable device found' error.
- ✗
The GRUB bootloader configuration file is missing or corrupted.
Why it's wrong here
GRUB issues would show a GRUB prompt or error, not a BIOS-level boot device error.
- ✓
The BIOS boot order is set to a device that does not contain a bootable operating system.
Why this is correct
The BIOS attempts to boot from a device that lacks a bootloader, resulting in the error.
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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.