FORMAT(C) XENIX System V FORMAT(C)
Name
format - format floppy disks
Syntax
format [-n] [-v] [-e] [-f] [-q] [device] [-i interleave]
Description
format formats diskettes for use with . It may be used
either interactively or from the command line. The default
drive is /dev/rfd0, as defined in /etc/default/format.
Options
The following command line options are available:
-f Suppresses the interactive feature. The format program
does not wait for user-confirmation before starting to
format the diskette. Regardless of whether or not you
run format interactively, track and head information is
displayed.
-e Erases the servo information on a mini-cartridge. This
option applies only to QIC-40 drives. Note that
formatting mini-cartridges is not recommended; for best
results use preformatted cartridges.
device
This specifies the device to be formatted. The default
device is /dev/rfd0 .
-i interleave
Specifies the interleave factor.
-q Quiet option. Suppresses the track and head output
information normally displayed. Although this option
does not suppress the interactive prompt, it would
typically be used with -f to produce no output at all.
-v Specifies format verification.
-n Specifies that the diskette is not to be verified
(overrides verify entry in /etc/default/format).
The file /etc/default/format is used to specify the default
device to be formatted and whether or not each diskette is
to be verified. The entries must be in the format
DEVICE=/dev/rfdnnn and VERIFY=[yYnN], as in the following
example:
DEVICE=/dev/rfd096ds15
VERIFY=y
The device must be a character (raw) device.
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FORMAT(C) XENIX System V FORMAT(C)
Usage
To run format interactively, enter:
format
followed by any of the legal options except -f, and press
RETURN. When you run format interactively, you see the
prompt:
insert diskette in drive and press return when ready
When you press RETURN at this prompt, format begins to
format the diskette.
If you specify the -f option, you do not see this prompt.
Instead, the program begins formatting immediately upon
invocation.
Unless you specify the -q option, format displays which
track and head it is currently on:
track # head #
The number signs above are replaced by the actual track and
head information.
Files
/etc/default/format
/dev/rfd[0-n]
See Also
fd(HW)
Notes
The format utility does not format floppies for use under
DOS; use the dosformat command documented in dos(C).
XENIX requires error free floppies.
It is not advisable to format a low density (48tpi) diskette
on a high density (96tpi) floppy drive. Diskettes written on
a high density drive should be read on high density drives.
A low density diskette written on a high density drive may
not be readable on a low density drive.
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