path: root/usr/src/man/man1/fdformat.1

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.TH FDFORMAT 1 "Feb 28, 2007"
.SH NAME
fdformat \- format floppy diskette or PCMCIA memory card
.SH SYNOPSIS
.LP
.nf
\fBfdformat\fR [\fB-dDeEfHlLmMUqvx\fR] [\fB-b\fR \fIlabel\fR] [\fB-B\fR \fIfilename\fR]
     [\fB-t\fR \fIdostype\fR] [\fIdevname\fR]
.fi

.SH DESCRIPTION
.sp
.LP
The \fBfdformat\fR utility has been superseded by \fBrmformat\fR(1), which
provides most but not all of \fBfdformat\fR's functionality.
.sp
.LP
\fBfdformat\fR is used to format diskettes and \fBPCMCIA\fR memory cards. All
new blank diskettes or \fBPCMCIA\fR memory cards must be formatted before they
can be used.
.sp
.LP
\fBfdformat\fR formats and verifies the media and indicates whether any bad
sectors were encountered. All existing data on the diskette or \fBPCMCIA\fR
memory card, if any, is destroyed by formatting. If no device name is given,
\fBfdformat\fR uses the diskette as a default.
.sp
.LP
By default, \fBfdformat\fR uses the configured capacity of the drive to format
the diskette. A \fB3.5\fR inch high-density drive uses diskettes with a
formatted capacity of \fB1.44MB\fR. A \fB5.25\fR inch high-density drive uses
diskettes with a formatted capacity of \fB1.2MB\fR. In either case, a density
option does not have to be specified to \fBfdformat\fR. However, a density
option must be specified when using a diskette with a lower capacity than the
drive's default. Use the \fB-H\fR option to format high-density diskettes
(\fB1.44MB\fR capacity) in an extra-high-density (\fBED\fR) drive. Use the
\fB-D\fR option, the \fB-l\fR option, or the \fB-L\fR option to format double-
density (or low-density) diskettes (\fB720KB\fR capacity) in an \fBHD\fR or
\fBED\fR drive. To format medium-density diskettes (\fB1.2MB\fR capacity), use
the \fB-M\fR option with \fB-t\fR \fBnec\fR (this is the same as using the
\fB-m\fR option with \fB-t\fR \fBnec\fR).
.sp
.LP
Extended density uses double-sided, extended-density or extra-high-density
(\fBDS\fR/\fBED\fR) diskettes. Medium and high densities use the same media:
double-sided, high-density (\fBDS\fR/\fBHD\fR) diskettes. Double (low) density
uses double-sided, double-density (\fBDS\fR/\fBDD\fR
.sp
.LP
\fBD\fR) diskettes. Substituting diskettes of one density for diskettes of
either a higher or lower density generally does not work. Data integrity cannot
be assured whenever a diskette is formatted to a capacity not matching its
density.
.sp
.LP
A \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card with densities from \fB512KB\fR to \fB64MB\fR may be
formatted.
.sp
.LP
\fBfdformat\fR writes new identification and data fields for each sector on all
tracks unless the \fB-x\fR option is specified. For diskettes, each sector is
verified if the \fB-v\fR option is specified.
.sp
.LP
After formatting and verifying, \fBfdformat\fR writes an operating-system label
on block \fB0\fR. Use the \fB-t\fR \fBdos\fR option (same as the \fB-d\fR
option) to put an \fBMS-DOS\fR file system on the diskette or \fBPCMCIA\fR
memory card after the format is done. Use the \fB-t\fR \fBnec\fR option with
the \fB-M\fR option (same as the \fB-m\fR option) to put an \fBNEC-DOS\fR file
system on a diskette. Otherwise, \fBfdformat\fR writes a \fBSunOS\fR label in
block \fB0\fR.
.SH OPTIONS
.sp
.LP
The following options are supported:
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-b\fR \fIlabel\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Labels the media with volume label. A SunOS volume label is restricted to 8
characters. A \fBDOS\fR volume label is restricted to 11 upper-case characters.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-B\fR \fIfilename\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Installs special boot loader in filename on an \fBMS-DOS\fR diskette. This
option is only meaningful when the \fB-d\fR option (or \fB-t\fR \fBdos\fR) is
also specified.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-D\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Formats a \fB720KB\fR (3.5 inch) or \fB360KB\fR (5.25 inch) double-density
diskette (same as the \fB-l\fR or \fB-L\fR options). This is the default for
double-density type drives. It is needed if the drive is a high- or
extended-density type.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-e\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Ejects the diskette when done. This feature is not available on all systems.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-E\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Formats a \fB2.88MB\fR (3.5 inch) extended-density diskette. This is the
default for extended-density type drives.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-f\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Forces formatting, that is, this option does not ask for confirmation before
starting format.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-H\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Formats a \fB1.44MB\fR (3.5 inch) or \fB1.2MB\fR (5.25 inch) high-density
diskette. This is the default for high-density type drives; it is needed if the
drive is the extended-density type.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-M\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Writes a \fB1.2MB\fR (3.5 inch) medium-density format on a high-density
diskette (use only with the -t nec option). This is the same as using \fB-m\fR.
.sp
This feature is not available on all systems.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-q\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Quiet; does not print status messages.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-t\fR \fBdos\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Installs an \fBMS-DOS\fR file system and boot sector formatting. This is
equivalent to the \fBDOS\fR format command or the \fB-d\fR option.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-t\fR \fBnec\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Installs an \fBNEC-DOS\fR file system and boot sector on the disk after
formatting. This should be used only with the \fB-M\fR option. This feature is
not available on all systems.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-U\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Performs \fBumount\fR on any file systems and then formats. See
\fBmount\fR(1M).
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-v\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Verifies each block of the diskette after the format.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-x\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 15n
Skips the format and only writes a SunOS label or an \fBMS-DOS\fR file system.
.RE

.SH OPERANDS
.sp
.LP
The following operands are supported:
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fIdevname\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 11n
Replaces \fIdevname\fR with \fBrdiskette0\fR (systems without volume
management) or \fBfloppy0\fR (systems with volume management) to use the first
drive or rdiskette1 (systems without volume management) or \fBfloppy1\fR
(systems with volume management) to use the second drive. If \fIdevname\fR is
omitted, the first drive, if one exists, is used. For \fBPCMCIA\fR memory
cards, replace \fIdevname\fR with the device name for the \fBPCMCIA\fR memory
card which resides in \fB/dev/rdsk/c\fIN\fRt\fIN\fRd\fIN\fRs\fIN\fR\fR or
/dev/dsk/c\fIN\fRt\fIN\fRd\fIN\fRs\fIN\fR. If \fIdevname\fR is omitted, the
default diskette drive, if one exists, is used.
.sp
If devname is omitted, the default diskette drive, if one exists, will be used.
\fIN\fR represents a decimal number and can be specified as follows:
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fBc\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Controller \fIN\fR
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fBt\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Technology type \fIN\fR:
.sp
.in +2
.nf

0x1       ROM
0x2       OTPROM
0x3       EPROM
0x4       EEPROM
0x5       FLASH
0x6       SRAM
0x7       DRAM
.fi
.in -2
.sp

.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fBd\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Technology region in type \fIN\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fBs\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Slice \fIN\fR.
.RE

The following options are provided for compatibility with previous versions of
\fBfdformat\fR. Their use is discouraged.
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-d\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Formats an \fBMS-DOS\fR floppy diskette or \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card (same as
\fB-t\fR \fBdos\fR). This is equivalent to the \fBMS-DOS FORMAT\fR command.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-l\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Formats a \fB720KB\fR (3.5 inch) or \fB360KB\fR (5.25 inch) double-density
diskette (same as \fB-D\fR or \fB-L\fR). This is the default for double-density
type drives; it is needed if the drive is the high- or extended-density type.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-L\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Formats a \fB720KB\fR (3.5 inch) or \fB360KB\fR (5.25 inch) double-density
diskette (same as \fB-l\fR or \fB-D\fR). This is the default for double-density
type drives.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB-m\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 6n
Writes a \fB1.2 MB\fR (3.5 inch) medium- density format on a high-density
diskette (use only with the \fB-t\fR \fBnec\fR option). This is the same as
using \fB-M\fR. This feature is not available on all systems.
.RE

.RE

.SH FILES
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/diskette0\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Directory providing block device access for the media in floppy drive \fB0\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/diskette0\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Directory providing character device access for the media in floppy drive
\fB0\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/aliases/floppy0\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Symbolic link to the character device for the media in floppy drive \fB0\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/rdiskette\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Directory providing character device access for the media in the primary floppy
drive, usually drive \fB0\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/dsk/c\fIN\fRt\fIN\fRd\fIN\fRs\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Directory providing block device access for the \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card. See
OPERANDS for a description of \fIN\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/rdsk/c\fIN\fRt\fIN\fRd\fIN\fRs\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Directory providing character device access for the \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card.
See OPERANDS for a description of \fIN\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/aliases/pcmem\fIS\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Symbolic link to the character device for the \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card in
socket \fIS\fR where \fIS\fR represents a \fBPCMCIA\fR socket number.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/rdsk/c\fIN\fRt\fIN\fRd\fIN\fRs\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Directory providing character device access for the \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card.
See OPERANDS for a description of \fIN\fR.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB/dev/dsk/c\fIN\fRt\fIN\fRd\fIN\fRs\fIN\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
Directory providing block device access for the \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card. See
OPERANDS for a description of \fIN\fR.
.RE

.SH SEE ALSO
.sp
.LP
\fBcpio\fR(1), \fBeject\fR(1), \fBrmformat\fR(1), \fBtar\fR(1),
\fBvolcheck\fR(1), \fBvolrmmount\fR(1), \fBmount\fR(1M), \fBnewfs\fR(1M),
\fBprtvtoc\fR(1M), \fBattributes\fR(5), \fBpcfs\fR(7FS)
.SS "x86 Only"
.sp
.LP
\fBfd\fR(7D)
.SH NOTES
.sp
.LP
A diskette or \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card containing a \fBufs\fR file system
created on a SPARC based system (by using \fBfdformat\fR and \fBnewfs\fR(1M)),
is not identical to a diskette or \fBPCMCIA\fR memory card containing a ufs
file system created on an x86 based system. Do not interchange ufs diskettes or
memory cards between these platforms. Use \fBcpio\fR(1) or \fBtar\fR(1) to
transfer files on diskettes or memory cards between them. A diskette or
\fBPCMCIA\fR memory card formatted using the \fB-t\fR \fBdos\fR option (or
\fB-d\fR) for \fBMS-DOS\fR does not have the necessary system files, and is
therefore not bootable. Trying to boot from it on a \fBPC\fR produces the
following message:
.sp
.in +2
.nf
Non-System disk or disk error.
Replace and strike any key when ready
.fi
.in -2
.sp

.SH BUGS
.sp
.LP
Currently, bad sector mapping is not supported on floppy diskettes or
\fBPCMCIA\fR memory cards. Therefore, a diskette or memory card is unusable if
\fBfdformat\fR finds an error (bad sector).