format(1M) MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES format(1M)
NAME
format - physically format a SCSI hard disk
SYNOPSIS
/usr/sbin/format [ -v ] [ -n ] /dev/rdsk/[ct]?d?s6
DESCRIPTION
This command physically formats a Small Computer System
Interface (SCSI) hard disk.
The super-user may use the format command in single-user
state to prepare SCSI hard disks for use. The following
options may be used with format:
-v verifies that the formatted SCSI hard disk is correct.
-n formatting is suppressed.
When a SCSI disk is formatted, a Physical Description (PD)
Sector is placed at SCSI logical block zero.
SEE ALSO
Formatting in the SCSI Operation Manual.
NOTES
This command destroys any data that might be on the disk.
It not be run in the background with other processes run-
ning. It cannot format non-SCSI hard disks.
DIAGNOSTICS
The format command exits with one of three values:
0 means NORMAL (or TRUE)
1 means execution errors
2 means bad command usage
Last change: Essential Utilities 1