LPIC-1 System Architecture Practice Question
An administrator wants to add a kernel parameter 'quiet splash' to the default boot entry. Which file should be edited?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse the auto-generated /boot/grub/grub.cfg (option D) with the source configuration file, or mistakenly think the legacy /etc/grub.conf (option C) is still used in GRUB 2 environments.
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
✓
/etc/default/grub
The correct file to edit is /etc/default/grub because it is the main configuration file for GRUB 2 where kernel boot parameters like 'quiet splash' are defined in the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT variable. After editing this file, the administrator must run update-grub (or grub-mkconfig) to regenerate the actual boot configuration file /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
/etc/default/grub
Why this is correct
Editing `/etc/default/grub` sets the `GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT` variable, which supplies kernel parameters to the default boot entry. This satisfies the requirement to add `quiet splash` persistently. After editing, run `update-grub` to regenerate `/boot/grub/grub.cfg`, since GRUB reads the generated configuration at boot, not this file directly.
- ✗
/etc/grub.d/00_header
Why it's wrong here
/etc/grub.d/00_header holds GRUB script fragments that generate grub.cfg, so editing it changes generated output only after update-grub runs and is not where kernel parameters for the default entry are set. It tempts because it is a GRUB configuration source, but /etc/default/grub carries GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX.
- ✗
/etc/grub.conf
Why it's wrong here
/etc/grub.conf is the legacy GRUB Legacy configuration path used by older Red Hat-derived systems; GRUB 2 reads /etc/default/grub and /etc/grub.d/. It tempts because it was historically correct for editing kernel parameters, but on current distributions the file is absent or unused.
- ✗
/boot/grub/grub.cfg
Why it's wrong here
/boot/grub/grub.cfg is generated by grub-mkconfig, so manual edits are overwritten on the next kernel update or grub regeneration. It tempts because it visibly contains the kernel command line, but persistent changes belong in /etc/default/grub, followed by regenerating grub.cfg.
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