format(C)                       19 June 1992                       format(C)


 Name

    format - format floppy disks

 Syntax

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

 Description

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

 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.  Regard-
       less of whether you run format interactively, track and head informa-
       tion is displayed.

    device
       This specifies the device to be formatted.  The default device is
       specified in /etc/default/format.

    -i interleave
       Specifies the interleave factor.

    -q Quiet option.  Suppresses the track and head output information nor-
       mally displayed.  Although this option does not suppress the interac-
       tive 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 informa-
    tion.

 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.