EX200 Create and configure file systems Practice Question
Which TWO LVM commands can be used to reduce the size of a logical volume?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume only `lvreduce` can shrink a volume, forgetting that `lvresize` is a universal tool that can both increase and decrease size, making both correct answers.
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
✓
lvresize
Both `lvresize` and `lvreduce` can reduce the size of a logical volume. `lvresize` is the general-purpose command for resizing LVs, and when used with the `-L` or `--size` option to specify a smaller size, it shrinks the volume. `lvreduce` is a dedicated command that specifically reduces the size of a logical volume, offering the same functionality as `lvresize --size` but with a more explicit name. Both commands require the filesystem to be shrunk first (if it contains data) using tools like `resize2fs` or `xfs_growfs` (though XFS cannot be shrunk).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
lvresize
Why this is correct
lvresize is the general-purpose LVM command for altering a logical volume's size, and it can both increase and decrease the volume equally well. When reducing an LV, you specify a smaller size (absolute, by extent count, or as a percentage), and it will adjust the LV accordingly, optionally resizing the underlying filesystem with the -r/--resizefs flag if the filesystem supports it. Because it handles both directions, it is one of the two valid commands for shrinking an LV.
- ✗
lvchange
Why it's wrong here
lvchange is used to modify the attributes of a logical volume, such as its activation state, read-only status, persistence, or allocation policy. It does not change the size or capacity of the LV in any way; its purpose is to manage how the volume behaves, not how much space it occupies. Therefore, it cannot be used to reduce the size of a logical volume, making it incorrect for this task.
- ✓
lvreduce
Why this is correct
lvreduce is the LVM command specifically dedicated to shrinking a logical volume. It behaves as a focused wrapper around lvresize, restricting the operation to a size reduction and providing a clear, explicit syntax for that purpose. Like lvresize, it supports the -r/--resizefs option to shrink the filesystem in tandem with the volume, making it the second correct command for decreasing an LV's size.
- ✗
lvdisplay
Why it's wrong here
lvdisplay is a read-only diagnostic command that displays the current properties of a logical volume, including its name, path, size, and status. It does not perform any modifications to the LV; it only queries and prints existing configuration data. Since the question asks for commands that can be used to reduce size, lvdisplay is irrelevant because it has no capability to change any aspect of the volume.
- ✗
lvextend
Why it's wrong here
lvextend is the counterpart to lvreduce, designed specifically for increasing the size of a logical volume. It can grow an LV into available free space in its volume group and optionally expand the filesystem, but it cannot shrink anything. As its name and purpose imply, it only handles growth, so it is the wrong command for reducing an LV's size.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This EX200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat 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 EX200 exam.