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oldlinux-files/Minix/2.0.0/wwwman/man1/format.1.html
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<H1>format(1)</H1>
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<H2>NAME</H2><PRE>
format - format a PC floppy diskette
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<H2>SYNOPSIS</H2><PRE>
<STRONG>format</STRONG> [<STRONG>-v</STRONG>] <EM>device</EM> [<EM>media</EM>-<EM>size</EM> [<EM>drive</EM>-<EM>size</EM>]]
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<H2>DESCRIPTION</H2><PRE>
<STRONG>Format</STRONG> allows a user with read-write permission to <EM>device</EM> to format a
floppy. Either one of the special floppy devices must be used, see
<STRONG><A HREF="../man4/fd.4.html">fd(4)</A></STRONG>, or an automatic device may be used with the size of the floppy
specified on the command line. Two sizes must be given when formatting a
low density diskette in a high density drive. For example:
<STRONG>format</STRONG> <STRONG>/dev/at1</STRONG>
<STRONG>format</STRONG> <STRONG>/dev/fd1</STRONG> <STRONG>1200</STRONG>
<STRONG>format</STRONG> <STRONG>/dev/fd1</STRONG> <STRONG>360</STRONG> <STRONG>1200</STRONG>
The first two commands format a 1.2M diskette, the last formats a 360k
diskette in a 1.2M drive. A 1.44M drive knows when it's dealing with a
low density floppy, so all these commands format a 720k diskette:
<STRONG>format</STRONG> <STRONG>/dev/fd0</STRONG> <STRONG>720</STRONG>
<STRONG>format</STRONG> <STRONG>/dev/fd0</STRONG> <STRONG>720</STRONG> <STRONG>1440</STRONG>
<STRONG>format</STRONG> <STRONG>/dev/ps0</STRONG>
No sizes may be specified when using a special floppy device, a size must
be specified when using an automatic device.
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<H2>OPTIONS</H2><PRE>
<STRONG>-v</STRONG> Verify the process by reading each track after formatting it.
Formatting is normally blind, the controller has no idea whether it
succeeds or not. Use <STRONG>-v</STRONG> on a new box of cheap diskettes, or on a
diskette that may have gone bad. Verifying will increase formatting
time by 50%.
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<H2>SEE ALSO</H2><PRE>
<STRONG><A HREF="../man1/mkfs.1.html">mkfs(1)</A></STRONG>, <STRONG><A HREF="../man4/fd.4.html">fd(4)</A></STRONG>.
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<H2>DIAGNOSTICS</H2><PRE>
Numbers will be printed on standard output to show that it is busy. The
locations of bad sectors are printed on standard error when verifying.
The exit code is zero unless there are too many bad spots.
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<H2>AUTHOR</H2><PRE>
Kees J. Bot (kjb@cs.vu.nl)
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