mtools: mformat
4.13 Mformat
============
The `mformat' command is used to add an MS-DOS file system to a
low-level formatted diskette. Its syntax is:
`mformat' [`-t' CYLINDERS|`-T' TOT_SECTORS] [`-h' HEADS] [`-s' SECTORS]
[`-f' SIZE] [`-1'] [`-4'] [`-8']
[`-v' VOLUME_LABEL]
[`-F'] [`-S' SIZECODE]
[`-M' SOFTWARE_SECTOR_SIZE]
[`-N' SERIAL_NUMBER] [`-a']
[`-C'] [`-H' HIDDEN_SECTORS] [`-I' FSVERSION]
[`-r' ROOT_SECTORS] [`-L' FAT_LEN]
[`-B' BOOT_SECTOR] [`-k']
[`-m' MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR]
[`-K' BACKUP_BOOT]
[`-c' CLUSTERS_PER_SECTOR]
[`-d' FAT_COPIES]
[`-X'] [`-2' SECTORS_ON_TRACK_0] [`-3']
[`-0' RATE_ON_TRACK_0] [`-A' RATE_ON_OTHER_TRACKS]
DRIVE:
`Mformat' adds a minimal MS-DOS file system (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 MS-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,
mformat will assign no label to the disk.
`f'
Specifies the size of the DOS file system to format. Only a certain
number of predefined sizes are supported by this flag; for others
use the -h/-t/-s 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.
`T'
Specifies the number of total sectors on the disk. Only one of
these 2 options may be specified (tracks or total sectors)
`h'
The number of heads (sides).
`s'
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.
MS-DOS 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 size code. The size of the sector is 2 ^ (sizecode + 7).
`X'
formats the disk as an XDF disk. 
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 file system. 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 file system 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.
`d'
Sets the number of FAT copies. Default is 2. This setting can also
be specified using the `MTOOLS_NFATS' environment variable.
`r'
Sets the size of the root directory (in sectors). Only applicable
to 12 and 16 bit FATs. This setting can also be specified using the
`MTOOLS_DIR_LEN' environment variable.
`L'
Sets the length of the FAT.
`B'
Use the boot sector 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 file system data are updated to
match the target disks parameters.
`K'
Sets the sector number where the backup of the boot sector should
be stored (only relevant on FAT32).
`m'
Use a non-standard media descriptor byte for this disk. The media
descriptor is stored at position 21 of the boot sector, and as
first byte in each FAT copy. Using this option may confuse DOS or
older mtools version, and may make the disk unreadable. Only use
if you know what you are doing.
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.
Info Catalog
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