mformat(1)mformat(1)NAMEmformat - mtools utility to add a DOS file system to a low-level for‐
matted diskette
SYNOPSISmformat [-t tracks] [-h heads] [-s vectors] [-l volumelabel] drive:
OPTIONS
Specifies the number of tracks (not cylinders) on the diskette. Speci‐
fies the number of heads (sides) on the diskette. Specifies the number
of sectors per track. Specifies the volume label. This is an optional
option.
DESCRIPTION
Note
You must specify the floppy disk storage device that is to be format‐
ted. If you do not specify a device, or if a device is not found, the
command may incorrectly format a SCSI device which could be a system or
data disk.
The mformat command adds a minimal DOS compatible file system (boot
sector, FAT, and root directory) to a UNIX formatted diskette. If the
diskette is unformatted, you must low-format the disk. You can do this
with a PC system, or on Tru64 UNIX using either the scu utility or the
fddisk utility, depending on your floppy drive. Tru64 UNIX supports
both FDI and SCSI attached 3.5" floppy drives with DD, HD, or ED media.
Not all floppy drives are compatible with ED media.
The following track/head/sector values are supported:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Media Capacity Tracks Heads Sectors
type KB/MB Bytes Sectors -t-h-s
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
DD 720KB 737280 1440 80 2 9
HD 1.44MB 1474560 2880 80 2 18
ED 2.88MB 2949120 5760 80 2 36
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
To format a diskette for other than the ED 2.88MB default capacity, you
must specify the number of sectors per track with the -s option. No
error is returned if you use mformat to put an ED file system onto an
HD floppy, but you will get errors from other utilities if you try to
write beyond the physical end of the media.
RESTRICTIONS
The following restrictions apply: The mformat command requires a low-
level format utility from UNIX. The mformat command does not detect
(or record) bad block information.
EXIT STATUS
The following exit values are returned: Success. Failure.
EXAMPLES
In the following example, a SCSI floppy diskette is formatted at the ED
2.88MB capacity, then a DOS file system is initialized with mformat: $
/sbin/scu -f /dev/rdisk/dsk/6a format density ED $ mformat a: In the
following example, an FDI floppy diskette is formatted at the HD 1.44MB
capacity, then a DOS file system is initialized with mformat, a file is
copied to the diskette, and the mdir command is used to check the con‐
tents of the diskette. The mlabel command is used to add a label and
mdir is used to again check the diskette contents. Finally, a DD file
system is placed on the diskette, mcopy is used to place a file on it,
and mdir is used to verify the diskette contents:
$ fddisk -fmt /dev/rfd0a
NOTE: Setting interleave factor to ``-i2:4''.
Use ``-i<nnn>[:<ccc>]'' option to override. Disk type:
3.50 inch, HD (1.44MB) Number of sectors per track: 18 Number
of surfaces: 2 Number of cylinders: 80 Sector size: 512
interleave factor: 2:4 Formatting disk... Percentage complete:
Format complete, checking...
Quick check of disk passes OK.
$ mformat-s 18 a: $ mcopy README a:
Copying README
$ mdir a:
Volume in drive A has no label Directory for A:/
README 769 6-04-97 8:59a
1 File(s) 1456640 bytes free
$ mlabel a: Volume in drive A is unlabeled Enter the new volume
label (11 characters): hddisk
$ mdir a:Volume in drive A is hddisk Directory for A:/
README 769 6-04-97 8:59a
1 File(s) 1456640 bytes free
$ mformat-s 9 -l dddisk a: $ mcopy README a:README.1 $ mdir a:
Volume in drive A is dddisk
Directory for A:/
README 1 769 6-04-97 9:16a
1 File(s) 729088 bytes free In the following example,
an unformatted 2.8Mb floppy diskette is formatted using the scu
command, followed by the mformat command. Once it is formatted
by both the scu and mformat commands, it is ready for use: $
/sbin/scu -f /dev/disk/floppy format density ED $ mformat-t 80
-h 2 -s 36 a:
FILES
Executable file
SEE ALSO
Commands: mlabel(1), mtools(1)
Utilities: fddisk(8), scu(8)
Floppy disk interface: fd(7)mformat(1)