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)