LPIC-1 Linux Installation and Package Management Practice Question
An administrator wants to prevent a specific package from being upgraded during routine system updates. Which command marks the package as held back?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse `apt-get` subcommands with `apt-mark` functionality, or incorrectly recall the `dpkg --set-selections` syntax, leading them to choose a non-existent or malformed command.
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
✓
apt-mark hold package
`apt-mark hold package` is the standard command in Debian-based systems to mark a package as held back, preventing it from being upgraded during `apt-get upgrade` or `apt upgrade`. This command modifies the package selection state in the dpkg database, ensuring the package version remains unchanged until explicitly unheld.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
apt-get hold package
Why it's wrong here
Invalid command: apt-get does not have a hold subcommand.
- ✓
apt-mark hold package
Why this is correct
apt-mark hold is the standard command to prevent package upgrades.
- ✗
dpkg --hold package
Why it's wrong here
dpkg does not have a --hold option.
- ✗
echo 'package hold' | dpkg --set-selections
Why it's wrong here
Correct syntax is 'package hold' but dpkg --set-selections expects input; this is valid but not the most common. However, apt-mark is more direct. For this question, apt-mark is the standard tool.
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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.