This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of configure local storage. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 server has an LVM volume group 'vg01' that contains two physical volumes: /dev/sda2 and /dev/sdb1. After a reboot, the system fails to activate the volume group. The administrator runs 'pvdisplay' and sees one physical volume as 'unknown device'. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The LVM filter in /etc/lvm/lvm.conf is excluding /dev/sdb1
The LVM filter in /etc/lvm/lvm.conf controls which devices LVM scans during activation. If the filter excludes /dev/sdb1, LVM will not recognize that physical volume, causing the volume group to fail activation. The 'unknown device' status indicates LVM cannot access the device metadata, not that the device is missing or corrupted.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 physical volume is corrupted and needs to be restored from backup
Why it's wrong here
Corruption usually causes read errors, not 'unknown device' status; LVM would still show the PV with errors.
✓
The LVM filter in /etc/lvm/lvm.conf is excluding /dev/sdb1
Why this is correct
The filter (e.g., filter = ['r|/dev/sdb1|']) can cause the PV to be unknown because LVM does not scan it.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The filesystem on the logical volume has become corrupted, preventing LVM metadata access
Why it's wrong here
Filesystem corruption does not affect LVM metadata which is stored in the PV; LVM activation is independent.
✗
The UUID of the physical volume has changed due to a disk replacement
Why it's wrong here
UUID change would appear as a new PV; LVM would not recognize it as the same PV.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'unknown device' means hardware failure or corruption, when in reality it is usually a configuration issue like an incorrect LVM filter or missing device-mapper entries.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Corruption usually causes read errors, not 'unknown device' status; LVM would still show the PV with errors.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The LVM filter uses patterns like 'a|/dev/sdb1|' to accept or reject devices. If the filter rejects /dev/sdb1, LVM skips it entirely during pvscan, leaving the VG with an 'unknown device' entry in its metadata. This is a common misconfiguration after adding a new disk or changing device names, and can be diagnosed with 'lvmdiskscan' or by checking the filter in lvm.conf.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the EX200 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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Configure local storage — This question tests Configure local storage — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The LVM filter in /etc/lvm/lvm.conf is excluding /dev/sdb1 — The LVM filter in /etc/lvm/lvm.conf controls which devices LVM scans during activation. If the filter excludes /dev/sdb1, LVM will not recognize that physical volume, causing the volume group to fail activation. The 'unknown device' status indicates LVM cannot access the device metadata, not that the device is missing or corrupted.
What should I do if I get this EX200 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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