FORMAT(1M) SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION COMMANDS FORMAT(1M)
NAME
format - format utility for 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, or
an internal/external(NWS-3400 series only) 3.5-inch floppy
disk.
The raw device file name to be formatted is specified by
<device-name>.
With a hard disk or optical disk, the whole device is for-
matted regardless of the partition number given in the dev-
ice file name. It is impossible to format a partition
without formatting the entire disk.
With a floppy disk, partition a means the whole unit. So
specify a.
Once the formatting is done, all the data in that media is
lost. Be alert to the following items before you start for-
matting.
The unit to be formatted can not be mounted.
The unit to be formatted must not hold any swap partitions.
OPTIONS
-m {2|3}
Mode; there are 2 modes (-m) for formatting an optical
disk: -m 2 is Sony original format; -m 3 is ISO Stan-
dard. You may select either mode by using the -m
option.
NWP-539 does not support mode 3 and is always formatted
with mode 2 whether the mode is selected or not.
NWP-539S supports both mode 2 and mode 3, and it is
formatted with the selected mode. If the mode is not
specified, mode 3 is used.
-v Verbose; display the detailed information of a hard
disk or optical disk while formatting.
-y Immediate; formatting of a hard disk or optical disk is
started immediately without asking for confirmation.
-silent
Do not show messages: formatting of a hard disk or
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FORMAT(1M) SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION COMMANDS FORMAT(1M)
optical disk is done in silent mode. No messages are
displayed while formatting.
-t type
(Floppy drive only)
Format type; define the format type (there are 13
types) regardless of the current defined parameter for
device when you format a floppy disk. Specify the type
number with -t option. The previous value of drive
type is saved during the command and restored when the
command is completed.
Formatting Floppy Disks
When formatting a 1MB floppy disk (2DD), specify special
device /dev/rfd0a; for 2MB floppy disk (2HD), specify device
/dev/rfh0a. ECMA/ISO format is used.
With the models that may have external floppy disks con-
nected to them (NWS-3400 Series), one physical unit may have
several device file names, and the formatting is changed
according the name. The format parameter corresponding to
the device name can be changed by issuing an ioctl. The
format command is executed with the parameter defined to the
device.
The system has preset 13 types of floppies for formatting
and each device file name is initially set to one of the
format types.
If you use an external drive, make sure to set the 640KB/1MB
switch to the appropriate direction.
The 13 pre-defined format types are:
Name of Type Number Description
FD2DD 0 news 720KB MFD
FD2HD 1 news 1.44MB MFD [S]
FD2HD1024 2 MSDOS 2HD 1.23MB(NEC PC9800) [N]*
oasys 2HD
FD2DDMS9 3 MSDOS 2DD 9sect 720KB
FD2DDMS8 4 MSDOS 2DD 8sect 640KB
FD2DMS9 5 MSDOS 2D 9sect 360KB
FD2DMS8 6 MSDOS 2D 8sect 320KB
FD2HDPS 7 IBM PS/2 2HD/1.44MB [S]
FD2HCAT 8 IBM PC-AT 2HC(5.25") 1.2MB *
FD2DDOA 9 oasys 2DD 770KB
FD2DDOA0 10 oasys 2DD cyl#0
FD1S128 11 oasys 2HD trk#0 [N]*
FD2D256 12 oasys 2HD trk#1 [N]*
[S]... only for an external 3.5" drive
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FORMAT(1M) SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION COMMANDS FORMAT(1M)
[N]... only for an NEC external drive
* ... rear SW of a external drive = 1MB (other type = 640KB )
The types initially set to each device name are;
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
(It is permissible to change parameters on these drives)
rfd0a :FD2DD
rfh0a :FD2HD
(It is not permissible to change parameters on these drives)
* Models which support an external floppy
FILES
/dev/rsd[0-7][a-h] raw file (character special file)
/dev/rfd[0-3][0-7]a raw file (character special file)
/dev/rfd0a raw file (character special file)
/dev/rfh0a raw file (character special file)
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