LPIC-1 Devices, Filesystems and FHS Practice Question
This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of devices, filesystems and fhs. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 is experiencing frequent crashes. Investigation shows that the root filesystem is mounted with 'errors=remount-ro'. The admin wants to prevent data loss by mounting with 'errors=panic' in /etc/fstab. Which change is correct?
Why wrong: Adding without removing the old option may lead to conflict or last one wins; best to replace.
B
Change the mount point to /panic
Why wrong: Irrelevant; mount point does not affect error handling.
C
Use 'defaults,errors=panic'
Why wrong: 'defaults' includes default options like rw, suid, dev, exec, auto, nouser, async; using defaults and then errors=panic would work, but the question asks for the correct change from the current state, which is simply replacing.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Replace 'errors=remount-ro' with 'errors=panic'
Option D is correct because the admin wants to change the error behavior from remounting the filesystem read-only to panicking the kernel. In /etc/fstab, each mount option is a comma-separated list; to change the error handling, you must replace the existing 'errors=remount-ro' with 'errors=panic' in the options field. Adding an additional 'errors=panic' would create a conflict (the last one parsed typically wins, but it's ambiguous and not the intended clean configuration).
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Add 'errors=panic' as an additional option
Why it's wrong here
Adding without removing the old option may lead to conflict or last one wins; best to replace.
✗
Change the mount point to /panic
Why it's wrong here
Irrelevant; mount point does not affect error handling.
✗
Use 'defaults,errors=panic'
Why it's wrong here
'defaults' includes default options like rw, suid, dev, exec, auto, nouser, async; using defaults and then errors=panic would work, but the question asks for the correct change from the current state, which is simply replacing.
✓
Replace 'errors=remount-ro' with 'errors=panic'
Why this is correct
Directly changes the error handling behavior.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates think they can simply add 'errors=panic' as an extra option (Option A) without removing the existing 'errors=remount-ro', not realizing that duplicate 'errors=' directives create ambiguity and are not the intended way to change the error handling policy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'errors=' mount option is specific to ext2/3/4 filesystems and controls kernel behavior on I/O errors: 'remount-ro' remounts the filesystem read-only to prevent further writes, while 'panic' triggers a kernel panic (system halt) to avoid data corruption from continued writes. In /etc/fstab, the options field is a single comma-separated string; duplicate or conflicting options are resolved by the last occurrence, but relying on that is poor practice. A real-world scenario is a production database server where a panic is preferred over a silent read-only remount that could lead to application hangs or partial writes.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Devices, Filesystems and FHS — This question tests Devices, Filesystems and FHS — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Replace 'errors=remount-ro' with 'errors=panic' — Option D is correct because the admin wants to change the error behavior from remounting the filesystem read-only to panicking the kernel. In /etc/fstab, each mount option is a comma-separated list; to change the error handling, you must replace the existing 'errors=remount-ro' with 'errors=panic' in the options field. Adding an additional 'errors=panic' would create a conflict (the last one parsed typically wins, but it's ambiguous and not the intended clean configuration).
What should I do if I get this LPIC-1 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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