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LPIC-1 GNU and Unix Commands Practice Question
Order the steps to recover a forgotten root password on a Linux system.
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
✓
1. Reboot the system. 2. Interrupt the GRUB bootloader. 3. Add 'init=/bin/bash' to the kernel command line. 4. Boot the system. 5. Remount the root filesystem as read-write. 6. Change the root password using passwd. 7. Reboot the system.
Recovery involves booting into a shell with root access, remounting read-write, and changing the password.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
1. Reboot the system. 2. Interrupt the GRUB bootloader. 3. Add 'init=/bin/bash' to the kernel command line. 4. Boot the system. 5. Remount the root filesystem as read-write. 6. Change the root password using passwd. 7. Reboot the system.
Why this is correct
This is the correct order. Interrupting boot allows adding init=/bin/bash to get a root shell. Remounting root as rw is necessary because the root filesystem is mounted read-only by default in this recovery mode. Then passwd can write the new password.
- ✗
1. Reboot the system. 2. Interrupt the GRUB bootloader. 3. Add 'init=/bin/bash' to the kernel command line. 4. Boot the system. 5. Change the root password using passwd. 6. Remount the root filesystem as read-write. 7. Reboot the system.
Why it's wrong here
This order is incorrect because the root filesystem is mounted read-only. Running passwd before remounting read-write will fail or not actually change the password, as the changes cannot be written.
- ✗
1. Reboot the system. 2. Boot into single-user mode from GRUB. 3. Remount the root filesystem as read-write. 4. Change the root password using passwd. 5. Reboot the system.
Why it's wrong here
This order is incomplete and incorrect. Booting into single-user mode does not automatically provide a root shell with a writable filesystem; the 'init=/bin/bash' method is more direct. Also, steps are missing the GRUB interruption and editing.
- ✗
1. Reboot the system. 2. Edit GRUB to add 'single' to the kernel line. 3. Boot the system. 4. Remount the root filesystem as read-write. 5. Change the root password using passwd. 6. Reboot the system.
Why it's wrong here
This order is incorrect because using 'single' instead of 'init=/bin/bash' may not provide a proper root shell with all necessary permissions. The remount step is correct in sequence, but the boot parameter is wrong.
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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.