LPIC-2 Linux Kernel and System Startup Practice Question
Which file is used by GRUB2 to load the kernel and initramfs?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse /etc/default/grub (the user configuration file) with the actual bootloader configuration file /boot/grub/grub.cfg, or they mistakenly associate GRUB2 with the legacy menu.lst file used by GRUB Legacy.
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
✓
/boot/grub/grub.cfg
GRUB2 uses /boot/grub/grub.cfg as its main configuration file, which contains the menu entries, kernel paths, and initramfs locations. This file is generated by update-grub (or grub-mkconfig) based on scripts in /etc/grub.d/ and settings in /etc/default/grub, and it is read directly by the GRUB2 bootloader at boot time to load the kernel and initramfs.
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/lilo.conf
Why it's wrong here
This is the configuration file for LILO, not GRUB2.
- ✗
/etc/default/grub
Why it's wrong here
/etc/default/grub contains user-settable options, but the actual boot menu is generated from that file into grub.cfg.
- ✗
/boot/grub/menu.lst
Why it's wrong here
menu.lst is used by GRUB Legacy, not GRUB2.
- ✓
/boot/grub/grub.cfg
Why this is correct
GRUB2 uses grub.cfg as its main configuration file.
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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.