LPIC-1 GNU and Unix Commands Practice Question

Exhibit

$ cat /etc/fstab
/dev/sda1 /boot ext4 defaults 0 2
/dev/sda2 / ext4 defaults 0 1
/dev/sda3 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/sdb1 /data ext4 defaults 0 2
$ mount -o remount /data
mount: /data: mount point not mounted or bad option.

Refer to the exhibit. The remount command fails. What is the most likely cause?

⚠ Common exam trap

The trap is that candidates may focus on the missing 'noauto' option and think it is the cause of the failure. In reality, the remount command requires the filesystem to be already mounted; the 'noauto' option is irrelevant to the remount operation's success.

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

✓

The filesystem is not mounted.

The remount command fails because the filesystem is not mounted. 'mount -o remount' only works on filesystems that are already mounted. The lack of the 'noauto' option in the fstab entry is irrelevant; it only affects automatic mounting at boot and does not influence whether a remount can be performed on an unmounted filesystem. Candidates may incorrectly believe that the missing 'noauto' is the cause, but the real issue is that the filesystem needs to be mounted first.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
The filesystem type is wrong.
Why it's wrong here
ext4 is correct.
✗
The fstab entry lacks the 'noauto' option but the device is not currently mounted.
Why it's wrong here
The lack of the 'noauto' option in the fstab entry is not the cause; it only affects automatic mounting at boot and does not impact the remount command.
✓
The filesystem is not mounted.
Why this is correct
The filesystem is not mounted, and 'mount -o remount' requires the filesystem to be already mounted. This is the most likely cause of the failure.
✗
The mount point /data does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
Would give a different error.

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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026

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