FDFORMAT(1) | General Commands Manual | FDFORMAT(1)

# NAME

`fdformat` — format floppy disks

# SYNOPSIS

`fdformat` | [`-nqv`] [`-c` cyls] [`-F` fillbyte] [`-g` gap3len] [`-h` heads] [`-i` intleave] [`-r` rate] [`-S` secshft] [`-s` secs] [`-t` steps_per_track] device_name

# DESCRIPTION

`fdformat` formats a floppy disk at device device_name. device_name should be a character device; it may be given either with a full path name of a raw device node for a floppy disk drive (e.g., /dev/rfd0c), or default name in an abbreviated form, (e.g., fd0). Note that any geometry constraints of the device node (minor device number) are meaningless, since they're overridden by `fdformat`.

The options are as follows:

`-c` cyls
  Number of cylinders (40 or 80).
`-F` fillbyte
  Use fillbyte as fill byte.
`-g` gap3len
  Length of gap at the end of any sector (“gap 3”).
`-h` heads
  Number of floppy heads (1 or 2).
`-i` intleave
  Sector interleave to be used.
`-n`
  Don't verify floppy after formatting.
`-q`
  Suppress any normal output from the command, and don't ask the user for confirmation whether to format the floppy disk at device_name.
`-r` rate
  Data transfer rate in kilobyte/sec (250, 300, or 500).
`-S` secshft
  Sector size code: 0 for 128, 1 for 256, and 2 for 512 byte sectors.
`-s` secs
  Number of sectors per track (9, 10, 15, or 18).
`-t` steps_per_track
  Number of steps per track. An alternate method to specify the geometry data to write to the floppy disk.
`-v`
  Don't format; verify only.

If the `-q` flag has not been specified, the user is asked for confirmation of the intended formatting process. In order to continue, an answer of “y” must be given.

# EXIT STATUS

An exit status of 0 is returned upon successful operation. Exit status 1 is returned on any errors during floppy formatting, and an exit status of 2 reflects invalid arguments given to the program (along with appropriate information written to diagnostic output).

# DIAGNOSTICS

Unless `-q` has been specified, a single letter is printed to standard output to inform the user about the progress of work. First, an “F” is printed when the track(s) is being formatted, then a “V” while it's being verified, and if an error has been detected, it will finally change to “E”.

# SEE ALSO

fdc(4)

# HISTORY

`fdformat` was developed for 386BSD 0.1 and upgraded to the new fdc(4) floppy disk driver. It later became part of FreeBSD 1.1, and was then ported to OpenBSD 1.2.

# AUTHORS

The program was contributed by Joerg Wunsch, Dresden, with changes by Serge Vakulenko and Andrew A. Chernov, Moscow.

September 17, 2018 | Debian