## Name

FORMAT — Initialize disk media

## Synopsis

`format` `devname`

## Description

This command is used to physically initialize, verify, and establish an initial file structure on a disk. All disks must be formatted before they can be used on an OS-9 system.

NOTE: If the diskette is to be used as a system disk, OS9gen or cobbler must be run to create the bootstrap after the disk has been formatted.

The following options are used:

R = inhibit ready prompt
:number: = number of sector interleave value (decimal)
"name" = disk name (32 character maximum)

The formatting process works as follows:

1. The disk surface is physically initialized and sectored.

2. Each sector is read back and verified. If the sector fails to verify after several attempts, the offending sector is excluded from the initial free space on the disk. As the verification is performed, track numbers are displayed on the standard output device.

3. The disk allocation map, root directory, and identification sector are written to the first few sectors of track zero. These sectors cannot be defective.

If not provided as an option, format will prompt for a disk volume name, which can be up to 32 characters long and may include spaces or punctuation. This name can later be displayed using the free command.

For more information see: the section called “Physical File Organization”