EX200 Create and configure file systems Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

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  fdisk -l

  Why it's wrong here

  The fdisk utility is specifically for viewing and editing the partition table of a storage device, such as /dev/sda or /dev/nvme0n1. Executing fdisk -l lists the partition layout (device names, sectors, sizes, and partition types) but does not show whether those partitions are mounted, with what filesystem option, or where they are attached to the directory tree. A partition may exist without being mounted, so fdisk -l does not satisfy the request for all currently mounted filesystems.

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  lsblk -m

  Why it's wrong here

  lsblk -m is meant to list all available block devices (e.g., disks, partitions, and LVM logical volumes) and, with the -m flag, adds permission and ownership details such as owner, group, mode, and SELinux context. Although lsblk can include a MOUNTPOINTS column by default, the command's primary purpose is to enumerate block devices and their relationships, not to provide the complete set of currently mounted filesystems along with their mount options and filesystem types. Thus, lsblk -m gives block-device inventory information rather than a mount table listing.

• ✗

  cat /proc/filesystems

  Why it's wrong here

  The virtual file /proc/filesystems is a kernel interface that enumerates the filesystem types the running kernel currently supports, such as ext2, ext3, ext4, xfs, btrfs, and vfat. It does not contain any information about which devices are actually mounted, their mount points, or their mount options. Reading this file tells you what filesystem drivers are available, not what is mounted right now, so it is not a list of currently mounted filesystems.

• ✗

  df -a

  Why it's wrong here

  The df command reports the amount of disk space used and available on mounted filesystems, and the -a flag additionally includes filesystems with zero or near-zero block counts such as proc, sysfs, or tmpfs pseudo-filesystems. While df iterates over mounted filesystems to obtain usage statistics, its output is oriented toward capacity and usage, not a straightforward enumeration of every mounted filesystem. For a concise, dedicated list of all mounted filesystems and their mount attributes, the mount command is the correct tool.

• ✓

  mount

  Why this is correct

  Running mount with no arguments displays the kernel's current mount table, typically sourced from /proc/mounts, in a format showing the device, mount point, filesystem type, and mount options (e.g., /dev/sda1 on / type xfs (rw,relatime)). This output is precisely a list of all currently mounted filesystems, including real devices, pseudo-filesystems like sysfs, and bind mounts. As the standard command for mounting and unmounting filesystems, its bare invocation serves as the canonical way to view the complete active mount configuration.

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