LPIC-1 Devices, Filesystems and FHS Practice Question
An administrator needs to mount an ISO image file /tmp/image.iso to the directory /mnt/iso. Which command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often forget the `-o loop` option and assume mount can directly handle a file path, or they confuse the read-only option (`-o ro`) with the loop option, thinking read-only is sufficient for ISO images.
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
✓
mount -o loop /tmp/image.iso /mnt/iso
The `-o loop` option tells the mount command to use a loop device, which is required to mount a file (like an ISO image) as if it were a block device. Without the loop option, mount expects a block device path, not a regular file.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
mount -o loop /tmp/image.iso /mnt/iso
Why this is correct
The loop option attaches the ISO as a loopback block device, allowing the kernel to read its ISO9660 filesystem and mount it at /mnt/iso. Without -o loop, mount would treat the file as a raw block device and fail.
- ✗
mount -o ro /tmp/image.iso /mnt/iso
Why it's wrong here
This command is correct, so it cannot be the failing option; the ISO is loop-mounted read-only at the specified directory. It is tempting because omitting -o loop still works on modern kernels, yet the explicit read-only flag matches mounting an image safely.
- ✗
mount -t iso /tmp/image.iso /mnt/iso
Why it's wrong here
The filesystem type must be `iso9660`, not `iso`; the kernel has no `iso` driver, so mount fails with an unknown filesystem error. It is tempting because `-t` genuinely specifies a filesystem type, and this syntax would be right for a valid type such as `vfat` or `ext4`.
- ✗
mount /tmp/image.iso /mnt/iso
Why it's wrong here
Mounting an ISO requires the loop device, since the kernel must expose the file as a block device before a filesystem can be read from it. Without `-o loop`, mount treats the path as a block device and fails. The syntax is otherwise right, so it tempts anyone who has mounted real devices this way.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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