LPIC-1 Devices, Filesystems and FHS Practice Question
Exhibit
$ lsblk -o NAME,FSTYPE,SIZE,MOUNTPOINT NAME FSTYPE SIZE MOUNTPOINT sda 20G ├─sda1 ext4 10G / ├─sda2 swap 2G [SWAP] └─sda3 ext4 8G /home sdb 10G └─sdb1 ext4 10G /mnt/backup $ df -h Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on /dev/sda1 10G 9.5G 500M 95% / /dev/sda3 8G 2G 5.9G 26% /home /dev/sdb1 10G 1G 9G 10% /mnt/backup
Refer to the exhibit. The root filesystem is at 95% capacity. Which option will free space on the root filesystem?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often think deleting log files (Option C) is acceptable, but the exam tests understanding of non-destructive methods that preserve data and system functionality, while also recognizing that /var/log is the most common directory to fill the root filesystem.
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
✓
Move /var/log to /mnt/backup and create a symlink
Moving the /var/log directory to a separate partition or filesystem (e.g., /mnt/backup) and creating a symbolic link from /var/log to the new location frees space on the root filesystem without losing log data. This approach preserves the filesystem hierarchy and allows logs to continue growing on a different volume, preventing the root filesystem from filling up.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Resize /dev/sda1 using resize2fs
Why it's wrong here
Resizing would require free space on the same disk, but sda has no unallocated space shown; and resizing does not free space, it changes partition size.
- ✓
Move /var/log to /mnt/backup and create a symlink
Why this is correct
/var/log is on the root filesystem; moving it to /mnt/backup frees space on /, and the symlink allows continued access.
- ✗
Delete all files in /var/log
Why it's wrong here
Deleting logs may free space but is not a best practice; also, logs may be in use and deleting them could cause issues. Moving is safer.
- ✗
Move /home to /mnt/backup and create a symlink
Why it's wrong here
/home is a separate partition, so moving it does not free space on /.
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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.