LPIC-2 Practice Question: Block Devices, Filesystems and Advanced Storage
A filesystem check on an XFS filesystem reports corruption. What is the recommended way to repair it?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates think `xfs_repair` can be run safely on a mounted filesystem (like `fsck` on ext4 with `-f`), or that `xfs_check` is still a valid repair tool, when in fact XFS requires unmounted repair and the dry-run step is a critical safety measure.
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
✓
Run xfs_repair -n first, then unmount and repair.
The recommended procedure for repairing a corrupted XFS filesystem is to first run `xfs_repair -n` in dry-run mode to assess the damage without making changes, then unmount the filesystem and run `xfs_repair` to perform the actual repair. XFS does not support online repair; the filesystem must be unmounted for write operations to avoid further corruption.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Run xfs_check on the mounted filesystem.
Why it's wrong here
xfs_check is deprecated and also requires unmounted.
- ✗
Run xfs_repair on the unmounted filesystem.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, best practice is to run xfs_repair -n first to assess damage.
- ✓
Run xfs_repair -n first, then unmount and repair.
Why this is correct
Best practice: run in no modify mode before actual repair.
- ✗
Run fsck -t xfs on the mounted filesystem.
Why it's wrong here
xfs_repair requires unmounted filesystem.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This LPIC-2 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-2 exam.