What is a risk of using the mklabel subcommand to change the label of an existing partition in parted's interactive utility?

The mklabel subcommand in the parted utility is specifically designed to create a new partition table or modify an existing one. When this command is executed, it effectively wipes the current partition table and replaces it with a new one. This action can lead to the loss of all existing partitions and their data, making it a significant risk if used on a drive containing important information.

The act of changing the label of an existing partition rather than recreating the partition table implies a need for careful command selection. While the interface may present the option to change partition labels, utilizing mklabel results in a complete overhaul of the partition structure and therefore must be approached with caution.

The other options do not accurately capture the main risk associated with the mklabel command. While rebooting may be necessary in certain scenarios following partition changes, it is not a direct effect of the mklabel command itself. Similarly, the mklabel command does not inherently cause file system corruption or limit partition sizes, as these issues are related to other aspects of disk management or partitioning. Understanding the implications of each command in partition management is crucial for avoiding data loss and ensuring system stability.