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LFCS · Question #685

Which of the following statements is correct when talking about /proc/?

The correct answer is C. All changes to files in /proc/ are immediately recognized by the kernel. The /proc filesystem is a virtual interface to the kernel, meaning changes to its writable files are immediately recognized and acted upon by the kernel.

Submitted by alyssa_d· Apr 18, 2026Operation of Running Systems

Question

Which of the following statements is correct when talking about /proc/?

Options

  • AAll changes to files in /proc/ are stored in /etc/proc.d/ and restored on reboot.
  • BAll files within /proc/ are read-only and their contents cannot be changed.
  • CAll changes to files in /proc/ are immediately recognized by the kernel.
  • DAll files within /proc/ are only readable by the root user.

How the community answered

(31 responses)
  • A
    3% (1)
  • B
    3% (1)
  • C
    94% (29)

Why each option

The /proc filesystem is a virtual interface to the kernel, meaning changes to its writable files are immediately recognized and acted upon by the kernel.

AAll changes to files in /proc/ are stored in /etc/proc.d/ and restored on reboot.

/proc is a virtual filesystem residing in memory and its contents are dynamically generated; changes are not persistently stored in /etc/proc.d/ (which is not a standard directory) nor restored on reboot.

BAll files within /proc/ are read-only and their contents cannot be changed.

While many files in /proc/ are read-only (e.g., /proc/cpuinfo), many others, especially under /proc/sys/, are writable by the root user to modify kernel runtime parameters.

CAll changes to files in /proc/ are immediately recognized by the kernel.Correct

/proc is a virtual filesystem that maps directly to kernel data structures and parameters; writing to specific files within /proc, such as those in /proc/sys/, instantly updates the corresponding kernel parameter or triggers a kernel action without requiring a reboot or daemon restart.

DAll files within /proc/ are only readable by the root user.

Many files within /proc/, such as /proc/meminfo or /proc/cpuinfo, are designed to be readable by all users to provide system information, not exclusively by the root user.

Concept tested: /proc filesystem characteristics

Source: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/linux/linux-kernel-parameters-procfs

Topics

#proc filesystem#kernel parameters#virtual filesystems#system information

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