This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of deploy, configure, and maintain systems. 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 system fails to boot because of a corrupted fstab file. The administrator boots into rescue mode from a RHEL installation ISO. Which command should be run first to mount the root filesystem read-write?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
mount /dev/mapper/rhel-root /mnt/sysimage
Mounts the root logical volume to the rescue mount point.
mount -o rw,remount /sysroot
Why wrong: /sysroot is not the rescue mount point; typically root is under /mnt/sysimage.
chroot /mnt/sysimage
Why wrong: chroot requires the target filesystem to be mounted first.
systemctl rescue
Why wrong: systemctl rescue reboots to rescue mode, but does not mount filesystems.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
mount /dev/mapper/rhel-root /mnt/sysimage
In rescue mode, the root filesystem is not mounted by default. The first step is to mount the logical volume containing the root filesystem (e.g., /dev/mapper/rhel-root) to a temporary mount point like /mnt/sysimage so that you can access and repair the corrupted /etc/fstab file. Option A correctly uses the mount command with the device and mount point, which is the standard procedure for RHEL rescue environments.
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.
mount /dev/mapper/rhel-root /mnt/sysimage
Why this is correct
Mounts the root logical volume to the rescue mount point.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "first", "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
mount -o rw,remount /sysroot
Why it's wrong here
/sysroot is not the rescue mount point; typically root is under /mnt/sysimage.
chroot /mnt/sysimage
Why it's wrong here
chroot requires the target filesystem to be mounted first.
systemctl rescue
Why it's wrong here
systemctl rescue reboots to rescue mode, but does not mount filesystems.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse the rescue mode mount point (/mnt/sysimage) with the emergency mode mount point (/sysroot) or attempt to use chroot before mounting, leading them to select options B or C.
Detailed technical explanation
When booting from a RHEL installation ISO into rescue mode, the system presents a shell where no filesystems are mounted. The logical volume manager (LVM) device /dev/mapper/rhel-root typically holds the root filesystem. Mounting it to /mnt/sysimage allows you to access and edit /mnt/sysimage/etc/fstab. After mounting, you would use chroot /mnt/sysimage to enter the environment and then repair the fstab file. A subtle behavior is that if the root filesystem is on a RAID or LVM, you may need to activate volume groups first with vgchange -ay.
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 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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All EX200 questions
527 questions across all exam domains
Red Hat Certified System Administrator EX200 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
EX200 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Operate running systems.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Configure local storage.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Create and configure file systems.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Deploy, configure, and maintain systems.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Manage users and groups.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Manage security.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Manage containers.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Create simple shell scripts.
Practise EX200 questions linked to Essential Tools.
Practise EX200 questions linked to EX200 fundamentals.
Practise EX200 questions linked to EX200 scenario.
Practise EX200 questions linked to EX200 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — This question tests Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: mount /dev/mapper/rhel-root /mnt/sysimage — In rescue mode, the root filesystem is not mounted by default. The first step is to mount the logical volume containing the root filesystem (e.g., /dev/mapper/rhel-root) to a temporary mount point like /mnt/sysimage so that you can access and repair the corrupted /etc/fstab file. Option A correctly uses the mount command with the device and mount point, which is the standard procedure for RHEL rescue environments.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first", "which command". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.