LPIC-2 Practice Question: Block Devices, Filesystems and Advanced Storage
A filesystem created with mkfs.ext4 on /dev/sda1 has a reserved block count of 5%. How can the administrator reduce it to 1% without reformatting?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse the `-m` (percentage) and `-r` (absolute block count) options of tune2fs, leading candidates to choose `-r 1` thinking it sets 1% when it actually sets only 1 block reserved.
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
✓
tune2fs -m 1 /dev/sda1
The `-m` option of tune2fs sets the reserved block percentage for the filesystem. Since the question asks to reduce the reserved block count from 5% to 1% without reformatting, `tune2fs -m 1 /dev/sda1` correctly adjusts the reserved blocks percentage to 1% on the existing ext4 filesystem.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
tune2fs -r 1 /dev/sda1
Why it's wrong here
-r sets reserved block count, not percentage.
- ✓
tune2fs -m 1 /dev/sda1
Why this is correct
-m sets reserved blocks percentage.
- ✗
dumpe2fs -r 1 /dev/sda1
Why it's wrong here
dumpe2fs only displays information.
- ✗
resize2fs -r 1 /dev/sda1
Why it's wrong here
resize2fs resizes filesystems, not reserved blocks.
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JA
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.