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FORMAT(1)                   General Commands Manual                  FORMAT(1)

NAME
       format - format a PC floppy diskette

SYNOPSIS
       format [-v] device [media-size [drive-size]]

DESCRIPTION
       Format  allows  a user with read-write permission to device to format a
       floppy.  Either one of the special floppy devices  must  be  used,  see
       fd(4),  or  an automatic device may be used with the size of the floppy
       specified on the command line.  Two sizes must be given when formatting
       a low density diskette in a high density drive.  For example:

              format /dev/at1
              format /dev/fd1 1200
              format /dev/fd1 360 1200

       The  first two commands format a 1.2M diskette, the last formats a 360k
       diskette in a 1.2M drive.  A 1.44M drive knows when it's dealing with a
       low density floppy, so all these commands format a 720k diskette:

              format /dev/fd0 720
              format /dev/fd0 720 1440
              format /dev/ps0

       No  sizes  may  be specified when using a special floppy device, a size
       must be specified when using an automatic device.

OPTIONS
       -v     Verify the process by reading each track  after  formatting  it.
              Formatting is normally blind, the controller has no idea whether
              it succeeds or not.  Use -v on a new box of cheap diskettes,  or
              on  a  diskette that may have gone bad.  Verifying will increase
              formatting time by 50%.

SEE ALSO
       mkfs(1), fd(4).

DIAGNOSTICS
       Numbers will be printed on standard output to show  that  it  is  busy.
       The  locations  of  bad  sectors  are  printed  on  standard error when
       verifying.  The exit code is zero unless there are too many bad spots.

AUTHOR
       Kees J. Bot (kjb@cs.vu.nl)

                                                                     FORMAT(1)
NAME | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | OPTIONS | SEE ALSO | DIAGNOSTICS | AUTHOR