NAME

format −  format utility of floppy disk/hard disk/optical disk

SYNOPSIS

format [−t type] <device-name>
format [−m {2|3}] [−v] [−y] [−silent] <device-name>

DESCRIPTION

format is a program to format a hard disk, optical disk, an internal/external 3.5 inches micro floppy disk (See fd(4) for models which can be connected an external floppy).
Raw device file name to be formatted is specified at <device-name>.

With a hard disk or optical disk, the whole unit (partition c) will be formatted even if the partition number [a−h] is specified as a device file name.  The formatting of some partitions can not be executed. 
With a floppy disk, partition a means the whole unit. So specify a.

Once the formatting is done, all the data in that media will be lost.  Be careful the following items before you start the formatting. 

1)The unit to be formatted is not include the mounted device. 

2)The unit to be formatted is not include the device that is used as a swap device. 

−m {2|3}
There is 2 modes to format the optical disk, the mode 2 that is sony original format and the mode 3 that is ISO Standard.  You can select the mode by using −m option. 
NWP-539 does not support the mode 3, and it is always formatted with the mode 2 whether the mode is selected or not.
Other models support both mode 2 and mode 3, and it is formatted with the specified mode. If the mode is not specified, mode 3 is selected. When formatting the disk with the mode 2, the disktype specified with disklabel(8) is od282, and when formatting with the mode 3, it is od282iso.

−vDisplay the detailed information of a hard disk or optical disk while formatting. 

−yFormatting of a hard disk or optical disk will be started immediately without the confirmation. 

−silent
Formatting of a hard disk or optical disk will be started with a silent mode. Any messages while formatting will be displayed.

−t type
Define the format type (within 13 kinds of type) regardless the current defined parameter for device when you format a floppy disk. Specify the number of type with −t option. The value of parameter defined before is stored temporarily and will be returned after the command is completed. This option is available for models which support multiple format functions. If this option is specified for models which do not support multiple format functions, error message is displayed (See fd(4) for models which support multiple format functions).
 

[NOTICE for Formatting a Floppy Disk] Formatting 1MB floppy disk (2DD), /dev/rfd0a  is to be specified. For 2MB floppy disk (2HD), /dev/rfh0a  should be given.
ECMA/ISO format is used. With the models that support multiple format functions, one physical unit have several device file name, and the formatting will be changed according that names. The format parameter corresponding to the device name can be changed by issuing the ioctl. command is executed with the parameter defined to the device.

The system have preset the 13 kinds of type for formatting, and each device file name is initially set the any of the format type. 

The revolutions of the spindle moter for formatting a floppy disk is different between the NEWS internal and the external.  So, notice that the drive is limited according to the format type. 

When you use the external drive, make sure to set the 640KB/1MB switch to the appropriate direction. 

The pre-defined format types are (13 types);

name of type        number
----------------------------------------------------------------
FD2DD0news  720KB MFD
FD2HD1news 1.44MB MFD[S]
FD2HD10242MSDOS 2HD 1.23MB(NEC PC9800) [N]∗
oasys 2HD
FD2DDMS93MSDOS 2DD 9sect 720KB
FD2DDMS84MSDOS 2DD 8sect 640KB
FD2DMS95MSDOS 2D  9sect 360KB
FD2DMS86MSDOS 2D  8sect 320KB
FD2HDPS7IBM PS/2 2HD/1.44MB[S]
FD2HCAT8IBM PC-AT 2HC(5.25") 1.2MB∗
FD2DDOA9oasys 2DD 770KB
FD2DDOA010oasys 2DD cyl#0
FD1S12811oasys 2HD trk#0[N]∗
FD2D25612oasys 2HD trk#1[N]∗
 [S]... only for a external 3.5" drive
[N]... only for aNEC external drive
 ∗ ... rear SW of a external drive = 1MB (other type = 640KB )

The types initially set to each device name are;
 
∗ Models which can be connected an external floppy

00    ’u
rfd00a :FD2HD   rfd20a :FD2HD1024       rfd30a:FD2HD1024
rfd01a :FD2DD   rfd21a :FD2DDOA rfd31a:FD2DDOA
rfd02a :FD2DDMS9        rfd22a :FD2DDMS9        rfd32a:FD2DDMS9
rfd03a :FD2DDMS8        rfd23a :FD2DDMS8        rfd33a:FD2DDMS8
rfd04a :FD2DMS9 rfd24a :FD2DMS9 rfd34a:FD2DMS9
rfd05a :FD2DMS8 rfd25a :FD2DMS8 rfd35a:FD2DMS8
rfd06a :FD2HDPS rfd26a :FD1S128 rfd36a:FD1S128
rfd07a :FD2HCAT rfd27a :FD2D256 rfd37a:FD2D256
 (parameter change OK)
 

j ∗ Other models
 

rfd0a :FD2DD
rfh0a :FD2HD            (parameter change NG)

FILES

/dev/rsd[0-1][0-6][a-h]raw file (character special file)

/dev/rfd[0-3][0-7]araw file (character special file)

/dev/rfd0araw file (character special file)

/dev/rfh0araw file (character special file)

NEWS-OSRelease 4.1C