LFCS Question #693: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

Question

What does the command mount -a do?

Options

• AIt ensures that all file systems listed with the option noauto in /etc/fstab are mounted.
• BIt shows all mounted file systems that have been automatically mounted.
• CIt opens an editor with root privileges and loads /etc/fstab for editing.
• DIt ensures that all file systems listed with the option auto in /etc/fstab are mounted.
• EIt ensures that all file systems listed in /etc/fstab are mounted regardless of their options.

Explanation

The mount -a command reads the /etc/fstab file and mounts all file systems that are explicitly listed with the auto option.

Common mistakes.

• A. The noauto option in /etc/fstab explicitly prevents a file system from being mounted by mount -a or during the boot process.
• B. While mount without arguments shows mounted filesystems, mount -a actively attempts to mount filesystems, not just display them.
• C. mount is a command for managing file system mounts, not for editing configuration files; an editor like vi or nano would be used for modifying /etc/fstab.
• E. mount -a respects the noauto option in /etc/fstab and will not mount those file systems, so it does not mount all listed file systems regardless of their options.

Concept tested. mount -a command functionality

Reference. https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man8/mount.8.html

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