This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of linux kernel and system startup. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
After creating a new partition table on /dev/sda, what command should be run to install GRUB2 to the Master Boot Record?
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Why wrong: This regenerates the configuration file, not installing the boot loader.
update-grub
Why wrong: Similar to grub-mkconfig, it does not install the boot loader to disk.
grub-install /dev/sda1
Why wrong: Installing to a partition would use the partition's boot sector, not the MBR; the correct target for MBR is the whole disk.
grub-install /dev/sda
This installs GRUB to the MBR of /dev/sda.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
grub-install /dev/sda
After creating a new partition table on /dev/sda, the Master Boot Record (MBR) resides on the disk device itself, not on a partition. The `grub-install /dev/sda` command installs GRUB2's boot code into the MBR (first 440 bytes) and embeds the core image in the post-MBR gap. This makes the disk bootable by the BIOS.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Why it's wrong here
This regenerates the configuration file, not installing the boot loader.
update-grub
Why it's wrong here
Similar to grub-mkconfig, it does not install the boot loader to disk.
grub-install /dev/sda1
Why it's wrong here
Installing to a partition would use the partition's boot sector, not the MBR; the correct target for MBR is the whole disk.
grub-install /dev/sda
Why this is correct
This installs GRUB to the MBR of /dev/sda.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse installing GRUB to a partition (e.g., /dev/sda1) with installing it to the MBR of the whole disk (/dev/sda), because they think the bootloader should reside on the root filesystem partition, but the MBR is a disk-level structure, not a partition-level one.
Trap categories for this question
Similar concept trap
Similar to grub-mkconfig, it does not install the boot loader to disk.
Detailed technical explanation
When `grub-install /dev/sda` runs, it writes the boot.img (440 bytes) to the MBR, then embeds core.img (which contains the filesystem driver and stage 1.5) into the sectors between the MBR and the first partition (typically sectors 1–62). On GPT systems with BIOS boot, a dedicated BIOS boot partition (without a filesystem) is required for core.img. In real-world scenarios, forgetting to install to the disk device after repartitioning can leave the system unbootable, as the MBR still contains stale or no boot code.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-2 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Linux Kernel and System Startup — This question tests Linux Kernel and System Startup — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: grub-install /dev/sda — After creating a new partition table on /dev/sda, the Master Boot Record (MBR) resides on the disk device itself, not on a partition. The `grub-install /dev/sda` command installs GRUB2's boot code into the MBR (first 440 bytes) and embeds the core image in the post-MBR gap. This makes the disk bootable by the BIOS.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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.
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