LPIC-2 Linux Kernel and System Startup Practice Question
Which THREE factors can cause a kernel panic during boot? (Select THREE.)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse 'kernel panic' with 'boot failure' and incorrectly select filesystem errors (Option D) as a direct cause, when in fact filesystem issues typically lead to a recovery shell or initramfs failure, not a kernel panic.
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
✓
Corrupted kernel image
A corrupted kernel image (Option B) is a direct cause of kernel panic during boot because the bootloader (e.g., GRUB) loads the kernel into memory, and if the binary is damaged (e.g., due to disk errors or incomplete update), the CPU will attempt to execute invalid instructions, triggering a fatal kernel panic. The kernel performs integrity checks early in startup, and any mismatch between expected and actual code will halt the system with a panic message.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Too many kernel modules loaded
Why it's wrong here
Too many modules may cause memory issues but not a panic directly.
- ✓
Corrupted kernel image
Why this is correct
A corrupted vmlinuz or bzImage can cause a panic during decompression or execution.
- ✓
Hardware incompatibility
Why this is correct
Hardware that triggers a bug or unsupported feature can cause a panic.
- ✗
Filesystem errors on the root partition
Why it's wrong here
Filesystem errors typically cause a mount failure, not a kernel panic.
- ✓
Missing device drivers for storage controllers
Why this is correct
If the kernel cannot access the root filesystem due to missing drivers, it may panic.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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