FORMAT(C)                                  UNIX System V



     Name
          format - format floppy disks and mini-cartridge tapes


     Syntax
          format [-n] [-v] [-f] [-q] [device] [-i interleave]


     Description
          format formats diskettes for use on a UNIX system.   It  may
          be  used either interactively or from the command line.  The
          default drive is /dev/rfd0.


     Options
          The following command line options are available:

          -f   Suppresses the interactive feature.  The format program
               does  not wait for user-confirmation before starting to
               format the diskette.  Regardless of whether or not  you
               run format interactively, track and head information is
               displayed.

          device
               This specifies the device to be formatted.  The default
               device is /dev/rfd0 .

          -i interleave
               Specifies the interleave factor.

          -q   Quiet option.  Suppresses the  track  and  head  output
               information  normally  displayed.  Although this option
               does not suppress  the  interactive  prompt,  it  would
               typically be used with -f to produce no output at all.

          -v   Specifies format verification.

          -n   Specifies that the  diskette  is  not  to  be  verified
               (overrides verify entry in /etc/default/format).

          The file /etc/default/format is used to specify the  default
          device  to  be formatted and whether or not each diskette is
          to  be  verified.   The  entries  must  be  in  the   format
          DEVICE=/dev/rfdnnn  and  VERIFY=[yYnN],  as in the following
          example:

          DEVICE=/dev/rfd096ds15
          VERIFY=y

          The device must be a character (raw) device.


     Usage
          To run format interactively, enter:

               format

          followed by any of the legal options except  -f,  and  press
          RETURN.   When  you  run  format  interactively, you see the
          prompt:

          insert diskette in drive and press return when ready

          When you press RETURN  at  this  prompt,  format  begins  to
          format the diskette.

          If you specify the -f option, you do not  see  this  prompt.
          Instead,  the  program  begins  formatting  immediately upon
          invocation.

          Unless you specify the  -q  option,  format  displays  which
          track and head it is currently on:

          track #   head #

          The number signs above are replaced by the actual track  and
          head information.

     Files
          /etc/default/format

          /dev/rfd[0-n]


     See Also
          fd(HW)


     Notes
          The format utility does not format floppies  for  use  under
          DOS; use the dosformat command documented in dos(C).

          UNIX systems require error free floppies.

          It is not advisable to format a low density (48tpi) diskette
          on a high density (96tpi) floppy drive. Diskettes written on
          a high density drive should be read on high density  drives.
          A  low  density diskette written on a high density drive may
          not be readable on a low density drive.

          The device /dev/install is  used  only  for  installing  and
          reading  floppies.   Attempts made to format this device may
          result in an error.


     (printed 8/28/89)                                  FORMAT(C)