This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of block devices, filesystems and advanced storage. 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.
Which two commands display information about LVM physical volumes? (Choose two.)
pvs
pvs provides a concise listing of physical volumes.
pvcreate
Why wrong: pvcreate initializes a disk as a physical volume, it does not display info.
pvck
Why wrong: pvck checks the metadata of a physical volume, not general info.
pvscan
Why wrong: pvscan scans all disks for PVs but does not show detailed info.
pvdisplay
pvdisplay shows detailed information about physical volumes.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
pvs
The `pvs` command (option A) provides a concise, configurable listing of all LVM physical volumes, showing key attributes like PV name, VG name, size, and free space. The `pvdisplay` command (option E) offers a detailed, verbose display of physical volume properties, including metadata areas, PE size, and allocation status. Both are standard LVM utilities for querying PV information.
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.
pvs
Why this is correct
pvs provides a concise listing of physical volumes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
pvcreate
Why it's wrong here
pvcreate initializes a disk as a physical volume, it does not display info.
pvck
Why it's wrong here
pvck checks the metadata of a physical volume, not general info.
pvscan
Why it's wrong here
pvscan scans all disks for PVs but does not show detailed info.
pvdisplay
Why this is correct
pvdisplay shows detailed information about physical volumes.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `pvscan` (which does display PVs after scanning) with a dedicated display command, but the LPIC-2 exam expects `pvs` and `pvdisplay` as the standard information-display tools, while `pvscan` is categorized as a scanning/discovery command.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
pvscan scans all disks for PVs but does not show detailed info.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, `pvs` reads the LVM metadata from the /etc/lvm/archive and /etc/lvm/backup directories as well as directly from the PV headers, using liblvm2 to format output. `pvdisplay` reads the same metadata but presents it in a human-readable, detailed format, including the exact location of metadata areas and the number of PEs. In real-world scenarios, `pvs` is preferred for scripting and quick overviews, while `pvdisplay` is used for troubleshooting or when full details are needed, such as verifying metadata alignment after a disk replacement.
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
Block Devices, Filesystems and Advanced Storage — This question tests Block Devices, Filesystems and Advanced Storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: pvs — The `pvs` command (option A) provides a concise, configurable listing of all LVM physical volumes, showing key attributes like PV name, VG name, size, and free space. The `pvdisplay` command (option E) offers a detailed, verbose display of physical volume properties, including metadata areas, PE size, and allocation status. Both are standard LVM utilities for querying PV information.
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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