FORMAT(C)                XENIX System V                 FORMAT(C)



     Name
          format - format floppy disks

     Syntax
          format [-f] [-e] [-q] [device] [-i interleave]

     Description
          format formats diskettes for use with .  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.

          -e   Erases the servo information on a mini-cartridge.

          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.

     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.




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     FORMAT(C)                XENIX System V                 FORMAT(C)



          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
          /dev/rfd[0-n]

     See Also
          fd(M)

     Notes
          The format utility does not format floppies for use under
          DOS.  Also, XENIX requires 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 unreadable on a low density drive.
































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