Windows Commands: Formats a disk for use with Windows.


format-Windows Command

format command - Formats a disk for use with Windows.

Delete all the files on the disk and reformat it for MS-DOS
In most cases, this should only be used on floppy drives or other removable media. This command can potentially erase everything on a computer's hard disk.
/autotest and /backup are undocumented features. Both will format the drive without a confirmation prompt.
Syntax:-
format [options] drive

FORMAT drive: [/V[:label]] [/Q] [/F:size] [/B | /S] [/C]
FORMAT drive: [/V[:label]] [/Q] [/T:tracks /N:sectors] [/B | /S] [/C]
FORMAT drive: [/V[:label]] [/Q] [/1] [/4] [/B | /S] [/C]
FORMAT drive: [/Q] [/1] [/4] [/8] [/B | /S] [/C]
/V[:label]  Specifies the volume label.
/Q          Performs a quick format.
/F:size     Specifies the size of the floppy disk to format (such as 160, 180, 320, 360, 720, 1.2, 1.44, and 2.88).
/B          Allocates space on the formatted disk for system files.
/S          Copies system files to the formatted disk.
/T:tracks   Specifies the number of tracks per disk side.
/N:sectors  Specifies the number of sectors per track.
/1          Formats a single side of a floppy disk.
/4          Formats a 5.25-inch 360K floppy disk in a high-density drive.
/8          Formats eight sectors per track.
/C          Tests clusters that are currently marked "bad."

Known as a joke among UNIX users of that time since every user on the machine could easily cause damage with just one command. Therefore, it was known in the UNIX community as "The big DOS timesaver".

There is also an undocumented /u parameter for "unconditional" that will write strings of zeros on every sector.
Equivalent to the Unix command mkfs.
Equivalent in RT-11/RSX-11/OpenVMS operating systems line is format command which can not create filesystem. After formatting one should use initialize (contracted to init) command to create filesystem (Equivalent to MS-DOS command format /q or "quick format").

Other Windows 98, Windows XP Commands:
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