Formatting Diskettes

You can use the rmformat command to format and protect rewritable diskettes. This utility does not require superuser privilege unless vold is not running. File systems are mounted automatically. So, you might have to unmount media before you can format it, if the media contains an existing file system.

The rmformat command has three formatting options:

quick – This option formats diskettes without certification or with limited certification of certain tracks on the media.
long – This option completely formats diskettes. For some devices, the use of this option might include the certification of the whole media by the drive.
force – This option formats completely without user confirmation. For diskettes with a password-protection mechanism, this option clears the password before formatting. This feature is useful when a password is forgotten. On diskettes without password protection, this option forces a long format.

Removable Media Hardware Considerations

Keep the following restrictions in mind when working with diskettes:

SPARC and x86 UFS formats are different. SPARC uses little-endian bit coding, x86 uses big-endian. Media formatted for UFS is restricted to the hardware platform on which they were formatted. So, a diskette formatted for UFS on a SPARC based platform cannot be used for UFS on an x86 platform. Likewise, a diskette formatted for UFS on an x86 platform cannot be used on a SPARC platform.
A complete format for SunOS file systems consists of the basic “bit” formatting in addition the structure to support a SunOS file system. A complete format for a DOS file system consists of the basic “bit” formatting in addition the structure to support either an MS-DOS or an NEC-DOS file system. The procedures required to prepare a media for each type of file system are different. Therefore, before you format a diskette, consider which procedure to follow. For more information, see Managing Removable Media (Task Map).

Diskette Hardware Considerations

Keep the following in mind when formatting diskettes:

For information on diskette names, see Table 3-1.
Diskettes that are not named (that is, they have no “label”) are assigned the default name of unnamed_floppy.
Diskettes that are not named (that is, they have no “label”) are assigned the default name of floppy.

An Oracle Solaris system can format the following diskette types:

UFS
MS-DOS or NEC-DOS (PCFS)
UDFS

On an Oracle Solaris system (either SPARC or x86), you can format diskettes with the following densities.

Diskette Size	Diskette Density	Capacity
3.5”	High density (HD)	1.44 MB
3.5”	Double density (DD)	720 KB

By default, the diskette drive formats a diskette to a like density. This default means that a 1.44 MB drive attempts to format a diskette for 1.44 MB, regardless of whether the diskette is, in fact, a 1.44 MB diskette, unless you instruct it otherwise. In other words, a diskette can be formatted to its capacity or lower, and a drive can format to its capacity or lower.

How to Load Removable Media

For information about removable media hardware considerations, see Removable Media Hardware Considerations.

Insert the media.
Ensure that the media is formatted.
If you aren't sure, insert the media and check the status messages in the system console window, as described in Step 3. If you need to format the media, go to How to Format a Diskette (rmformat).
(Optional) Notify volume management if you are using a legacy, non-USB diskette device.
```
$ volcheck -v
```
Two status messages are possible:
media was found

Volume management detected the media and will attempt to mount it in the directory described in Table 3-1.
If the media is formatted properly, no error messages appear in the console.
If the media is not formatted, the “media was found” message is still displayed. However, error messages similar to the following appear in the system console window:
fd0: unformatted diskette or no diskette in the drive
fd0: read failed (40 1 0)
fd0: bad format
You must format the media before volume management can mount it. For more information, see Chapter 2, Managing Removable Media (Tasks).

no media was found

Volume management did not detect the media. Ensure that the media is inserted properly, and run volcheck again. If unsuccessful, check the media, which could be damaged. You can also try to mount the media manually.
Verify that the media was mounted by listing its contents.
For example, do the following for a diskette:
```
$ ls /floppy
floppy0 myfiles
```
Tip - floppy0 is a symbolic link to the actual name of the diskette. In this case, myfiles. If the diskette has no name but is formatted correctly, the system refers to it as unnamed_floppy.
If nothing appears under the /floppy directory, the diskette was either not mounted or is not formatted properly. To find out, run the mount command and look for the line that begins with /floppy (usually at the end of the listing):
/floppy/name on /vol/dev/diskette0/name
If this line does not appear, the diskette was not mounted. Check the system console window for error messages.

How to Format a Diskette (`rmformat`)

You can use the rmformat command to format a diskette. By default, this command creates two partitions on the media: partition 0 and partition 2 (the whole media).

Verify that removable media service is running. If so, you can use the shorter nickname for the device name.
```
$ svcs volfs
STATE          STIME    FMRI
online         10:39:12 svc:/system/filesystem/volfs:default
```
For information on restarting removable media services, see How to Disable or Enable Removable Media Services. For information on identifying media device names, see Using Removable Media Names.
Format the diskette.
```
$ rmformat -F [ quick | long | force ] device-name
```
See Formatting Diskettes for more information on rmformat formatting options.
If the rmformat output indicates bad blocks, see How to Repair Bad Blocks on Removable Media.
(Optional) Label the diskette with an 8-character label.
```
$ rmformat -b label device-name
```
For information on creating a DOS label, see mkfs_pcfs(1M).

Example 2-1 Formatting a Diskette

This example shows how to format a diskette.

$ rmformat -F quick /dev/rdiskette
Formatting will erase all the data on disk.
Do you want to continue? (y/n) y
.........................................................................

How to Create a File System on Removable Media

(Optional) Format the diskette.
```
$ rmformat -F quick device-name
```

(Optional) Create an alternate Solaris partition table.

$ rmformat -s slice-file device-name

A sample slice file appears similar to the following:

slices: 0 = 0, 30MB, "wm", "home" : 
              1 = 30MB, 51MB : 
              2 = 0, 94MB, "wm", "backup" : 
              6 = 81MB, 13MB

Become superuser.
Determine the appropriate file system type and select one of the following:
- Create a UFS file system. For example:
```
# newfs /vol/dev/aliases/floppy0
```
- Create a PCFS file system. For example:
```
# mkfs -F pcfs /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0s2:c
```
- Create a UDFS file system. For example:
```
# mkfs -F udfs /dev/rdsk/c0t1d0s1
```

Example 2-2 Formatting a Diskette for a UFS File System

The following example shows how to format a diskette and create a UFS file system on the diskette.

$ rmformat -F quick /vol/dev/aliases/floppy0
Formatting will erase all the data on disk.
Do you want to continue? (y/n) y
$ su
# /usr/sbin/newfs /vol/dev/aliases/floppy0
newfs: construct a new file system /dev/rdiskette: (y/n)? y
/dev/rdiskette: 2880 sectors in 80 cylinders of 2 tracks, 18 sectors
        1.4MB in 5 cyl groups (16 c/g, 0.28MB/g, 128 i/g)
super-block backups (for fsck -F ufs -o b=#) at:
 32, 640, 1184, 1792, 2336,
#

$ rmformat -F quick /dev/rdiskette
Formatting will erase all the data on disk.
Do you want to continue? (y/n)y
$ su
# /usr/sbin/newfs /dev/rdiskette
newfs: construct a new file system /dev/rdiskette: (y/n)? y
/dev/rdiskette: 2880 sectors in 80 cylinders of 2 tracks, 18 sectors
        1.4MB in 5 cyl groups (16 c/g, 0.28MB/g, 128 i/g)
super-block backups (for fsck -F ufs -o b=#) at:
 32, 640, 1184, 1792, 2336,

Example 2-3 Formatting a Diskette for a PCFS File System

This example shows how to create a PCFS file system with an alternate fdisk partition. In these examples, vold is not running.

$ rmformat -F quick /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0s2:c
Formatting will erase all the data on disk.
Do you want to continue? (y/n) y
$ su
# fdisk /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0s2:c 
# mkfs -F pcfs /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0s2:c
Construct a new FAT file system on /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0s2:c: (y/n)? y
#

This example shows how to create a PCFS file system without an fdisk partition.

$ rmformat -F quick /dev/rdiskette
Formatting will erase all the data on disk.
Do you want to continue? (y/n) y
$ su
# mkfs -F pcfs -o nofdisk,size=2 /dev/rdiskette
Construct a new FAT file system on /dev/rdiskette: (y/n)? y
#

How to Create a File System on a DVD-RAM

Currently, vold doesn't support DVD-RAM devices. So, if you disable vold to use a DVD-RAM device, you cannot use CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW devices because vold is not available during the time that it is disabled.

Become superuser.
Stop vold.
```
# svcadm disable volfs
```
Create a file system on the DVD-RAM device.
- Create a UFS file system. For example:
```
# newfs /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0s2
```
- Create a UDFS file system. For example:
```
# mkfs -F udfs /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0s2
```
Mount the file system.
- Mount a UFS file system. For example:
```
# mount -F ufs /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s2 /mnt
```
- Mount a UDFS file system. For example:
```
# mount -F udfs /dev/dsk/c0t0d0s2 /mnt
```
Verify that you can read or write to the file system.
When finished, eject the DVD-RAM.
Restart vold.
```
# svcadm enable volfs
```

How to Check a File System on Removable Media

Become superuser.
Identify the file system type and select one of the following:
- Check a UFS file system.
```
# fsck -F ufs device-name
```
- Check a UDFS file system.
```
# fsck -F udfs device-name
```
- Check a PCFS file system.
```
# fsck -F pcfs device-name
```

Example 2-4 Checking a PCFS File System on Removable Media

The following example shows how check the consistency of a PCFS file system on media. In this example, vold is not running.

# fsck -F pcfs /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0s2
** /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0s2
** Scanning file system meta-data
** Correcting any meta-data discrepancies
1457664 bytes.
0 bytes in bad sectors.
0 bytes in 0 directories.
0 bytes in 0 files.
1457664 bytes free.
512 bytes per allocation unit.
2847 total allocation units.
2847 available allocation units.
#

How to Repair Bad Blocks on Removable Media

You can only use the rmformat command to verify, analyze, and repair bad sectors that are found during verification if the drive supports bad block management. Most diskettes and USB memory sticks do not support bad block management.

If the drive supports bad block management, a best effort is made to rectify the bad block. If the bad block cannot be rectified despite the best effort mechanism, a message indicates the failure to repair the media.

Repair bad blocks on removable media.
```
$ rmformat -c block-numbers device-name
```
Supply the block number in decimal, octal, or hexadecimal format from a previous rmformat session.
Verify the media.
```
$ rmformat -V read device-name
```

Applying Read or Write Protection and Password Protection to Removable Media

You can apply read protection or write protection, and set a password, on removable media that support this feature.

How to Enable or Disable Write Protection on Removable Media

Determine whether you want to enable or disable write protection and select one of the following:
- Enable write protection.
```
$ rmformat -w enable device-name
```
- Disable write protection.
```
$ rmformat -w disable device-name
```
Verify whether the media's write protection is enabled or disabled.
```
$ rmformat -p device-name
```

How to Enable or Disable Read or Write Protection and Set a Password on Removable Media

You can apply a password with a maximum of 32 characters for removable media that support this feature.

You will receive a warning message if you attempt to apply a password on media that does not support this feature.

Determine whether you want to enable or disable read protection or write protection and set a password. Select one of the following:

Enable read protection or write protection.

$ rmformat -W enable device-name
Please enter password (32 chars maximum): xxx
Please reenter password:

$ rmformat -R enable device-name
Please enter password (32 chars maximum): xxx
Please reenter password:

Disable read protection or write protection and remove the password.

$ rmformat -W disable device-name
Please enter password (32 chars maximum): xxx

$ rmformat -R disable device-name
Please enter password (32 chars maximum): xxx

Verify whether the media's read protection or write protection is enabled or disabled.
```
$ rmformat -p device-name
```

Example 2-5 Enabling or Disabling Read or Write Protection and Password Protection

This example shows how to enable write protection and set a password on a diskette.

$ rmformat -W enable /vol/dev/aliases/floppy0
Please enter password (32 chars maximum): xxx
Please reenter password: xxx

This example shows to disable read protection and remove the password on a diskette.

$ rmformat -R disable /vol/dev/aliases/floppy0
Please enter password (32 chars maximum): xxx

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	System Administration Guide: Devices and File Systems Oracle Solaris 10 8/11 Information Library