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Oracle Solaris 11.1 Administration: Devices and File Systems     Oracle Solaris 11.1 Information Library
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Document Information

Preface

1.  Managing Removable Media (Tasks)

2.  Writing CDs and DVDs (Tasks)

3.  Managing Devices (Tasks)

4.  Dynamically Configuring Devices (Tasks)

5.  Managing USB Devices (Tasks)

6.  Using InfiniBand Devices (Overview/Tasks)

7.  Managing Disks (Overview)

8.  Managing Disk Use (Tasks)

9.  Administering Disks (Tasks)

Administering Disks (Task Map)

Identifying Disks on a System

How to Identify the Disks on a System

Formatting a Disk

How to Determine if a Disk Is Formatted

How to Format a Disk

Displaying Disk Slices

How to Display Disk Slice Information

Creating and Examining a Disk Label

How to Label a Disk

How to Examine a Disk Label

Recovering a Corrupted Disk Label

How to Recover a Corrupted Disk Label

Adding a Third-Party Disk

10.  Setting Up Disks (Tasks)

11.  Configuring Storage Devices With COMSTAR (Tasks)

12.  Configuring and Managing the Oracle Solaris Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS)

13.  The format Utility (Reference)

14.  Managing File Systems (Overview)

15.  Creating and Mounting File Systems (Tasks)

16.  Configuring Additional Swap Space (Tasks)

17.  Copying Files and File Systems (Tasks)

18.  Managing Tape Drives (Tasks)

Index

Formatting a Disk

Disks are typically formatted by the manufacturer or reseller. They usually do not need to be reformatted when you install the drive.

A disk must be formatted before you can do the following:


Caution

Caution - Formatting a disk is a destructive process because it overwrites data on the disk. For this reason, disks are usually formatted only by the manufacturer or reseller. If you think disk defects are the cause of recurring problems, you can use the format utility to do a surface analysis. However, be careful to use only the commands that do not destroy data.


How to Determine if a Disk Is Formatted

  1. Become an administrator.

    For more information, see How to Use Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Oracle Solaris 11.1 Administration: Security Services.

  2. Invoke the format utility.
    # format

    A numbered list of disks is displayed.

  3. Type the number of the disk that you want to check.
    Specify disk (enter its number): 0
  4. Verify that the disk you chose is formatted by noting the following message:
    [disk formatted]

Example 9-2 Determining if a Disk Is Formatted

The following example shows that disk c2t3d0 is formatted.

# format
AVAILABLE DISK SELECTIONS:
       0. c2t0d0 <SUN72G cyl 14087 alt 2 hd 24 sec 424>
          /pci@1c,600000/scsi@2/sd@0,0
       1. c2t1d0 <SUN72G cyl 14087 alt 2 hd 24 sec 424>
          /pci@1c,600000/scsi@2/sd@1,0
       2. c2t2d0 <SUN146G cyl 14087 alt 2 hd 24 sec 848>
          /pci@1c,600000/scsi@2/sd@2,0
       3. c2t3d0 <SUN146G cyl 14087 alt 2 hd 24 sec 848>
          /pci@1c,600000/scsi@2/sd@3,0
Specify disk (enter its number): 3
selecting c2t3d0
[disk formatted]

How to Format a Disk

Disks are formatted by the manufacturer. Reformatting a disk should occur rarely. The process is time-consuming and removes all data from the disk.

  1. Become an administrator.

    For more information, see How to Use Your Assigned Administrative Rights in Oracle Solaris 11.1 Administration: Security Services.

  2. Invoke the format utility.
    # format

    A numbered list of disks is displayed.

  3. Type the number of the disk that you want to format.
    Specify disk (enter its number): 3

    Caution

    Caution - Do not select the disk that contains the root file system. If you format a root pool disk, you delete the OS and any data on this disk.


  4. To begin formatting the disk, type format at the format> prompt. Confirm the command by typing y.
    format> format
    The protection information is not enabled
    The disk will be formatted with protection type 0
    
    Ready to format.  Formatting cannot be interrupted
    and takes 169 minutes (estimated). Continue? yes
  5. Verify that the disk format was successful by noting the following messages:
    Beginning format. The current time is Fri Apr 1 ...
    
    Formatting...
    done
    
    Verifying media...
            pass 0 - pattern = 0xc6dec6de
    14086/23/734  
    
            pass 1 - pattern = 0x6db6db6d
       14086/23/734  
    
    Total of 0 defective blocks repaired.
  6. Exit the format utility.
    format> quit