Linux System Installation & Configuration Flashcards

Which partition table format supports disks larger than 2TB and more than 4 primary partitions?

Answer: GPT

GUID Partition Table (GPT) supports disks over 2TB and allows up to 128 partitions by default, overcoming MBR's limitations.

What does the 'noatime' mount option do?

Answer: Disables updating access timestamps on reads

The 'noatime' option prevents the kernel from updating the access time (atime) on every file read, reducing disk write overhead.

Which command permanently sets the hostname on a systemd-based Linux system?

Answer: hostnamectl set-hostname newname

hostnamectl set-hostname writes the hostname to /etc/hostname and updates the running system simultaneously, making the change persistent.

During Linux installation, the 'swap' partition is recommended to be at least what size for a system with 8GB RAM when hibernation is required?

Answer: 16 GB

For hibernation to work, swap must be at least as large as the amount of RAM (8GB) plus some buffer, so 16GB is the safe recommendation.

Which file controls which services are started at boot in a systemd system?

Answer: /etc/systemd/system/default.target.wants/

Symlinks in /etc/systemd/system/default.target.wants/ (or similar .wants directories) define which units are enabled to start at the default target.

Which installer option in Anaconda allows automated network-based installation without user interaction?

Answer: Kickstart

Kickstart is Red Hat/Fedora's automated installation system; a Kickstart file specifies all installation parameters, enabling unattended installs.

What is the effect of passing 'init=/bin/bash' as a kernel parameter at boot?

Answer: Replaces init with a bash shell as PID 1

Passing init=/bin/bash makes the kernel launch /bin/bash as PID 1 instead of systemd/init, providing a root shell for emergency recovery.