What will the following command accomplish? dd if=/dev/xxx of=mbr.backup bs=512 count=1

The correct answer is A. Back up the master boot record. This dd command backs up the Master Boot Record (MBR). Breaking it down: if=/dev/xxx specifies the source disk, of=mbr.backup is the output file, bs=512 sets the block size to 512 bytes (the exact size of the MBR), and count=1 limits the operation to just one block. The result…

Submitted by fatema_kw· Apr 18, 2026Disk Forensics

Question

What will the following command accomplish? dd if=/dev/xxx of=mbr.backup bs=512 count=1

Options

ABack up the master boot record
BRestore the master boot record
CMount the master boot record on the first partition of the hard drive
DRestore the first 512 bytes of the first partition of the hard drive

How the community answered

(37 responses)

A
92% (34)
C
5% (2)
D
3% (1)

Explanation

This dd command backs up the Master Boot Record (MBR). Breaking it down: if=/dev/xxx specifies the source disk, of=mbr.backup is the output file, bs=512 sets the block size to 512 bytes (the exact size of the MBR), and count=1 limits the operation to just one block. The result is that only the first 512 bytes of the disk-the MBR-are read and saved to the backup file.

Topics

#dd command#Master Boot Record (MBR)#Disk imaging#Data backup

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