NAME

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

SYNOPSIS

format [−t type] <device-name>
format [−m {2|3}] [−v] [−y] [−silent] [−cert] <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 and 2ED (double-sided extra high density track)).
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.

−certCertifying of a hard disk or optical disk will be started by writing test pattern without formatting.  The original data is lost. 

−t type
Define the format type regardless the current defined parameter for device when you format a floppy disk. Specify the number of type with −t option.  14 kinds of type number can be specified for the models which supports 2ED (double sided, extra high density), and 13 kinds of type number can be specified for other models.  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] 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 that support multiple format functions have preset the 13 or 14 kinds (for models which supports double sided, extra high density track) 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 (13 types, or 14 types (for models which supports double sided, extra high density track)) are :

name of type        number
----------------------------------------------------------------
FD2DD0news  720KB MFD
FD2HD1news 1.44MB MFD[S]
FD2HD10242MSDOS 2HD 1.23MB (NEC PC9800) [N]∗
oasys 2HD
FD2DDMS93MSDOS 2DD 9 sect 720KB
FD2DDMS84MSDOS 2DD 8 sect 640KB
FD2DMS95MSDOS 2D  9 sect 360KB
FD2DMS86MSDOS 2D  8 sect 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]∗
FD2ED/FDAUTO13auto media capacity distinguish function [E]
 [S]... only for an external 3.5" drive
[N]... only for an NEC external drive
[E]... only for models which support doulbe sided, extra high density track
 ∗ ... rear SW of an external drive = 1MB (other type = 640KB)

The types initially set to each device name are:
 
∗ Models which support multiple format functions
 

rfd00a :FD2HD
rfd01a :FD2DD
rfd02a :FD2DDMS9
rfd03a :FD2DDMS8
rfd04a :FD2DMS9
rfd05a :FD2DMS8
rfd06a :FD2HDPS
rfd07a :FD2HCAT
 (parameter can be changed)

 
∗ Models which can be connected an multi-format, double-sided, extra high density track
 

rfd00a :FDAUTO
rfd01a :FD2DD
rfd02a :FD2DDMS9
rfd03a :FD2DDMS8
rfd04a :FD2DMS9
rfd05a :FD2DMS8
rfd06a :FD2HDPS
rfd07a :FD2HCAT
 (parameter can be changed)

 
∗ Models which can be connected an external floppy
 

 rfd00a :FD2HDrfd20a :FD2HD1024rfd30a:FD2HD1024
rfd01a :FD2DDrfd21a :FD2DDOArfd31a:FD2DDOA
rfd02a :FD2DDMS9rfd22a :FD2DDMS9rfd32a:FD2DDMS9
rfd03a :FD2DDMS8rfd23a :FD2DDMS8rfd33a:FD2DDMS8
rfd04a :FD2DMS9rfd24a :FD2DMS9rfd34a:FD2DMS9
rfd05a :FD2DMS8rfd25a :FD2DMS8rfd35a:FD2DMS8
rfd06a :FD2HDPSrfd26a :FD1S128rfd36a:FD1S128
rfd07a :FD2HCATrfd27a :FD2D256rfd37a:FD2D256
 (parameter can be changed)
 

 
∗ Other models
 

rfd01a(rfd0a) :FD2DD
rfd00a(rfh0a) :FD2HD            (parameter cannot be changed)

FILES

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

/dev/rfd[023][0-7]araw file (character special file)

/dev/rfd0araw file (character special file)

/dev/rfh0araw file (character special file)

NEWS-OSRelease 4.2.1R