How to Format a UFS PCMCIA Memory Card

As mentioned in the introduction, a UFS PCMCIA memory card formatted on a SPARC platform can be used only on another SPARC platform, and a UFS PCMCIA memory card formatted on an x86 platform can be used only on an x86 platform running the Solaris release.

Formatting a PCMCIA memory card erases any pre-existing content.

1. Quit File Manager.

   File Manager automatically displays a formatting window when you insert an unformatted PCMCIA memory card. Unfortunately, File Manager formatting is unreliable. To avoid the window, quit File Manager. If you prefer to keep File Manager open, quit the formatting window when it appears.

2. Make sure the PCMCIA memory card is write-enabled.

   Write-protection is controlled by a small slide switch in the end of the PCMCIA memory card.

3. Insert the PCMCIA memory card.

   Make sure the PCMCIA memory card is completely inserted.

4. Invoke formatting.

   $ fdformat -v -U [convenience-options]

   -v		Verifies whether the PCMCIA memory card was formatted correctly.
   -U		Unmounts the PCMCIA memory card if it is mounted.
   convenience-options
   	-e	Ejects the PCMCIA memory card when done formatting.
   	-f	Forces formatting without asking for confirmation.
   	-b label	Names the PCMCIA memory card. label must be eight characters or less, upper or lower case.
   	-z	Lists all the options to the fdformat command, but does not format the PCMCIA memory card.

   The fdformat command displays a confirmation message (unless you used the -f option), indicating the type of formatting to be performed:

   Formatting in /vol/dev/aliases/pcmem0 Press return to start formatting pcmem0.

5. Select one of the options in the table below.

   To ...	Press ...
   Confirm the type of formatting	Return (unless you used the -f option in the previous step, in which case no confirmation is necessary).
   Cancel formatting	Control-c.

   As the formatting progresses, a series of dots is displayed. As the verification progresses, a series of V's appears beneath the dots. When the series stops, the formatting is complete.

   The PCMCIA memory card is now ready for raw character operations such as tar and cpio.

Examples--Formatting a UFS PCMCIA Memory Card

Following are examples of UFS formatting.

$ fdformat -v -U
Formatting in /vol/dev/aliases/unformatted
Press return to start formatting pcmem0. [ Return ]
.........................................................
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

The following example performs the same job, but assigns the PCMCIA memory card the name myfiles:

$ fdformat -v -U -b myfiles
Formatting in /vol/dev/aliases/unformatted
Press return to start formatting pcmem0. [ Return ]
.........................................................
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv