LPIC-1 Linux Installation and Package Management Practice Question
During boot, a server loads the wrong kernel. Which file should the administrator modify to change the default kernel in a standard GRUB 2 configuration?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the GRUB 2 configuration file (/etc/default/grub) with the GRUB Legacy file (/boot/grub/grub.conf) or the auto-generated runtime file (/boot/grub/grub.cfg), leading them to pick an option that either belongs to an older bootloader version or is not meant for direct editing.
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
In a standard GRUB 2 configuration, the default kernel is selected by setting the GRUB_DEFAULT variable in /etc/default/grub. After modifying this file, the administrator must run update-grub (or grub-mkconfig) to regenerate the /boot/grub/grub.cfg file, which is the actual configuration read by the bootloader. This two-step process separates user-facing settings from the bootloader's runtime configuration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
/boot/grub/grub.conf
Why it's wrong here
This file is used by GRUB 1, not GRUB 2.
- ✗
/etc/grub.d/
Why it's wrong here
This directory contains script templates; not where the default is set.
- ✓
/etc/default/grub
Why this is correct
Edit GRUB_DEFAULT in this file and run update-grub.
- ✗
/boot/grub/grub.cfg
Why it's wrong here
This file is auto-generated; manual edits are overwritten by update-grub.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This LPIC-1 question is part of Courseiva's 527-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.