LPIC-2 Linux Kernel and System Startup Practice Question
An administrator wants to ensure a kernel module is loaded automatically at boot for a hardware device. Which file should be modified to add the module name?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse the static boot-time module loading mechanism (`/etc/modules-load.d/`) with the dynamic device-driven module loading via udev rules (`/etc/udev/rules.d/`), mistakenly thinking udev is the correct place to force a module to load at boot regardless of device presence.
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
✓
/etc/modules-load.d/
The `/etc/modules-load.d/` directory contains configuration files that list kernel module names to be loaded automatically at boot by the `systemd-modules-load.service`. This is the standard mechanism in modern Linux distributions using systemd to ensure specific modules are loaded early in the boot process, before udev or other services handle device detection.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
Why it's wrong here
blacklist.conf prevents modules from loading.
- ✗
/etc/udev/rules.d/
Why it's wrong here
udev rules handle device events, not initial module loading.
- ✓
/etc/modules-load.d/
Why this is correct
Files in /etc/modules-load.d/ specify modules to load at boot.
- ✗
/proc/sys/kernel/
Why it's wrong here
/proc/sys/kernel/ is for runtime kernel parameters, not persistent module loading.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every LPIC-2 question from scratch — 507 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.