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(mtools.info)mformat

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Mformat
=======

   The `mformat' command is used to add an MS-DOS filesystem to a
low-level formatted diskette. Its syntax is:

     `mformat' [`-t' CYLINDERS] [`-h' HEADS] [`-n' SECTORS]
       [`-f' SIZE] [`-1'] [`-4'] [`-8']
       [`-v' VOLUME_LABEL]
       [`-F'] [`-S' SIZECODE] [`-X']
       [`-2' SECTORS_ON_TRACK_0] [`-3']
       [`-0' RATE_ON_TRACK_0] [`-A' RATE_ON_OTHER_TRACKS]
       [`-M' SOFTWARE_SECTOR_SIZE]
       [`-N' SERIAL_NUMBER] [`-a']
       [`-C'] [`-H' HIDDEN_SECTORS] [`-I' FSVERSION]
       [`-r' ROOT_SECTORS] [`-L' FAT_LEN]
       [`-B' BOOT_SECTOR] [`-k']
       DRIVE:

   `Mformat' adds a minimal MS-DOS filesystem (boot sector, FAT, and
root directory) to a diskette that has already been formatted by a Unix
low-level format.

   The following options are supported: (The S, 2, 1 and M options may
not exist if this copy of mtools has been compiled without the USE_2M
option)

   The following options are the same as for Dos's format command:

`v'
     Specifies the volume label. A volume label identifies the disk and
     can be a maximum of 11 characters. If you omit the -v switch,
     mlabel will assign no label to the disk.

`f'
     Specifies the size of the DOS filesystem to format. Only a certain
     number of predefined sizes are supported by this flag; for others
     use the -h/-t/-n flags. The following sizes are supported:
    160
          160K, single-sided, 8 sectors per track, 40 cylinders (for 5
          1/4 DD)

    180
          160K, single-sided, 9 sectors per track, 40 cylinders (for 5
          1/4 DD)

    320
          320K, double-sided, 8 sectors per track, 40 cylinders (for 5
          1/4 DD)

    360
          360K, double-sided, 9 sectors per track, 40 cylinders (for 5
          1/4 DD)

    720
          720K, double-sided, 9 sectors per track, 80 cylinders (for 3
          1/2 DD)

    1200
          1200K, double-sided, 15 sectors per track, 80 cylinders (for
          5 1/4 HD)

    1440
          1440K, double-sided, 18 sectors per track, 80 cylinders (for
          3 1/2 HD)

    2880
          2880K, double-sided, 36 sectors per track, 80 cylinders (for
          3 1/2 ED)

`t'
     Specifies the number of tracks on the disk.

`h'
     The number of heads (sides).

`n'
     Specifies the number of sectors per track. If the 2m option is
     given, number of 512-byte sector equivalents on generic tracks
     (i.e. not head 0 track 0).  If the 2m option is not given, number
     of physical sectors per track (which may be bigger than 512 bytes).

`1'
     Formats a single side (equivalent to -h 1)

`4'
     Formats a 360K double-sided disk (equivalent to -f 360). When used
     together with -the 1 switch, this switch formats a 180K disk

`8'
     Formats a disk with 8 sectors per track.

   MSDOS format's `q', `u' and `b' options are not supported, and `s'
has a different meaning.

   The following options are specific to mtools:

`F'
     Format the partition as FAT32.

`S'
     The sizecode. The size of the sector is 2 ^ (sizecode + 7).

`X'
     formats the disk as an XDF disk. Note: XDF, for more details.
     The disk has first to be low-level formatted using the xdfcopy
     utility included in the fdutils package. XDF disks are used for
     instance for OS/2 install disks.

`2'
     2m format. The parameter to this option describes the number of
     sectors on track 0, head 0. This option is recommended for sectors
     bigger than normal.

`3'
     don't use a 2m format, even if the current geometry of the disk is
     a 2m geometry.

`0'
     Data transfer rate on track 0

`A'
     Data transfer rate on tracks other than 0

`M'
     software sector size. This parameter describes the sector size in
     bytes used by the MS-DOS filesystem. By default it is the physical
     sector size.

`N'
     Uses the requested serial number, instead of generating one
     automatically

`a'
     If this option is given, an Atari style serial number is generated.
     Ataris store their serial number in the OEM label.

`C'
     creates the disk image file to install the MS-DOS filesystem on
     it. Obviously, this is useless on physical devices such as floppies
     and hard disk partitions, but is interesting for image files.

`H'
     number of hidden sectors. This parameter is useful for formatting
     hard disk partition, which are not aligned on track boundaries
     (i.e. first head of first track doesn't belong to the partition,
     but contains a partition table). In that case the number of hidden
     sectors is in general the number of sectors per cylinder. This is
     untested.

`I'
     Sets the fsVersion id when formatting a FAT32 drive.  In order to
     find this out, run minfo on an existing FAT32 drive, and mail me
     about it, so I can include the correct value in future versions of
     mtools.

`c'
     Sets the size of a cluster (in sectors).  If this cluster size
     would generate a FAT that too big for its number of bits, mtools
     automatically increases the cluster size, until the FAT is small
     enough.

`r'
     Sets the size of the root directory (in sectors).  Only applicable
     to 12 and 16 bit FATs.

`L'
     Sets the length of the FAT.

`B'
     Use the bootsector stored in the given file or device, instead of
     using its own.  Only the geometry fields are updated to match the
     target disks parameters.

`k'
     Keep the existing boot sector as much as possible.  Only the
     geometry fields and other similar filesystem data are updated to
     match the target disks parameters.

   To format a diskette at a density other than the default, you must
supply (at least) those command line parameters that are different from
the default.

   `Mformat' returns 0 on success or 1 on failure.

   It doesn't record bad block information to the Fat, use `mbadblocks'
for that.