Preparing Removable Media

The following sections describe how to prepare removable media for use.

Removable Media Considerations

Keep the following considerations in mind when working with diskettes:

SunOS file system formats consist of the basic “bit” formatting in addition to 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).
- For information on removable media names, see Using Removable Media Names.
- 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 file system types:
- ZFS or 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.

Formatting Diskettes

You can use the rmformat command to format and protect rewritable diskettes. 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.

How to Load Removable Media

For information about removable media hardware considerations, see Removable Media 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 Using Removable Media Names.
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 /media/floppy
lost+found myfiles
```

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 hal dbus rmvolmgr
STATE          STIME    FMRI
online         Apr_09   svc:/system/dbus:default
online         Apr_09   svc:/system/hal:default
online         Apr_09   svc:/system/filesystem/rmvolmgr: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 a diskette, if necessary.
To format a USB diskette, use syntax similar to the following:
```
$ rmformat -F long /dev/rdsk/c11t0d0p0
```

(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 an administrator.
For more information, see How to Use Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Oracle Solaris Administration: Security Services.
Determine the appropriate file system type and select one of the following:
- Create a PCFS file system. For example:
```
# mkfs -F pcfs -o nofdisk,size=9800 /dev/rdsk/c11t0d0p0
```
- Create a UDFS file system. For example:
```
# mkfs -F udfs /dev/rdsk/c0t1d0p0
```

How to Create a File System on a DVD-RAM

Use this procedure to create a file system on a DVD-RAM.

Become an administrator.
For more information, see How to Use Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Oracle Solaris Administration: Security Services.
Create a file system on the DVD-RAM device.
- Create a UDFS file system. For example:
```
# mkfs -F udfs /dev/rdsk/c0t0d0s2
```
Mount the file system.
- 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.

How to Check a File System on Removable Media

Become an administrator.
For more information, see How to Use Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Oracle Solaris Administration: Security Services.
Identify the file system type and select one of the following:
- Check a UDFS file system.
```
# fsck -F udfs device-name
```
- Check a PCFS file system.
```
# fsck -F pcfs device-name
```

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

The following example shows how check the consistency of a PCFS file system on media.

# 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 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
```

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