EX200 Create and configure file systems Practice Question
Exhibit
# df -h /data
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdc1 9.8G 5.0G 4.8G 51% /data
# xfs_info /dev/sdc1
meta-data=/dev/sdc1 isize=512 agcount=4, agsize=655360 blk
= sectsz=512 attr=2, projid32bit=1
= crc=1 finobt=1, sparse=1, rmapbt=0
= reflink=1
data = bsize=4096 blocks=2621440, imaxpct=25
= sunit=0 swidth=0 blks
naming =version 2 bsize=4096 ascii-ci=0, ftype=1
log =internal bsize=4096 blocks=2560, version=2
= sectsz=512 sunit=0 blks, lazy-count=1
reflink = noalign
# xfs_growfs /dev/sdc1
meta-data=/dev/sdc1 isize=512 agcount=4, agsize=655360 blk
= sectsz=512 attr=2, projid32bit=1
= crc=1 finobt=1, sparse=1, rmapbt=0
= reflink=1
data = bsize=4096 blocks=2621440, imaxpct=25
= sunit=0 swidth=0 blks
naming =version 2 bsize=4096 ascii-ci=0, ftype=1
log =internal bsize=4096 blocks=2560, version=2
= sectsz=512 sunit=0 blks, lazy-count=1
reflink = noalign
data blocks changed from 2621440 to 5242880Refer to the exhibit. An administrator runs xfs_growfs on /dev/sdc1. What is the most likely reason the command succeeded without prior partition resizing?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common misconception is that xfs_growfs can resize the partition itself, but it only expands the filesystem to match an already extended block device (e.g., LVM volume or disk partition).
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
✓
The underlying block device (partition or logical volume) was extended before the command
xfs_growfs can only expand an XFS filesystem to fill the available space on the underlying block device. If the command succeeded without prior partition resizing, it means the block device (e.g., a partition or logical volume) was already extended beforehand. The filesystem then uses the new space when xfs_growfs is run.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The partition was automatically resized by xfs_growfs
Why it's wrong here
xfs_growfs is strictly a filesystem utility; it operates on an existing XFS filesystem and extends it to fill the available space on the underlying block device. It has no ability to alter partition tables, resize LVM logical volumes, or change the geometry of the device itself. Partition resizing must be done beforehand with tools like parted, fdisk, or lvextend.
- ✓
The underlying block device (partition or logical volume) was extended before the command
Why this is correct
xfs_growfs works by expanding the filesystem's data allocation structures to consume the additional space that must already exist on the backing device. Before running the command, the administrator must have extended the partition or logical volume using lvextend or a partition editor. When invoked on a mounted XFS filesystem with no arguments, it grows the filesystem to the maximum size permitted by the underlying block device.
- ✗
The filesystem was already using the full partition size and the command had no effect
Why it's wrong here
The output from the command in the exhibit clearly indicates that the filesystem's block count changed, which proves the filesystem was not already at its maximum size. If the filesystem were already using the full partition, xfs_growfs would return a message such as 'data size unchanged' or 'no size change' because there is no additional space to claim. A successful growth requires an enlarged device, not an initially full one.
- ✗
The filesystem was mounted with the 'grow' option allowing online growth
Why it's wrong here
There is no mount option named 'grow' for the XFS filesystem, and mount options like noatime, nodiratime, or rw are unrelated to resize behavior. XFS supports online growth natively: xfs_growfs can be run while the filesystem is mounted and does not require any special mount flag. The ability to grow online is built into the filesystem's design, not enabled by a mount-time option.
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Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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