mkdosfs - create an MS-DOS file system under Linux


SYNOPSIS

       mkdosfs  [  -A ] [ -b sector-of-backup ] [ -c ] [ -l file­
       name ] [ -C ] [ -f number-of-FATs ] [ -F FAT-size ]  [  -i
       volume-id  ] [ -I ] [ -m message-file ] [ -n volume-name ]
       [ -r root-dir-entries ] [ -R number-of-reserved-sectors  ]
       [ -s sectors-per-cluster ] [ -S logical-sector-size ] [ -v
       ] device [ block-count ]


DESCRIPTION

       mkdosfs is used to create  an  MS-DOS  file  system  under
       Linux  on  a device (usually a disk partition).  device is
       the  special  file  corresponding  to  the   device   (e.g
       /dev/hdXX).   block-count  is  the number of blocks on the
       device.  If omitted, mkdosfs automatically determiness the
       file system size.


OPTIONS

       -A     Use  Atari variation of the MS-DOS filesystem. This
              is default if mkdosfs is run on an Atari, then this
              option  turns off Atari format. There are some dif­
              ferences when using Atari format: If  not  directed
              otherwise  by  the  user, mkdosfs will always use 2
              sectors per  cluster,  since  GEMDOS  doesn't  like
              other values very much.  It will also obey the max­
              imum number of sectors GEMDOS can  handle.   Larger
              filesystems are managed by raising the logical sec­
              tor size.  Under Atari format, an  Atari-compatible
              serial  number for the filesystem is generated, and
              a 12 bit FAT is used only for filesystems that have
              one  of  the usual floppy sizes (720k, 1.2M, 1.44M,
              2.88M), a 16 bit FAT otherwise. This can  be  over­
              ridden  with  the  -F option. Some PC-specific boot
              sector fields aren't written, and  a  boot  message
              (option -m) is ignored.

       -b sector-of-backup
              Selects  the location of the backup boot sector for
              FAT32. Default depends on number of  reserved  sec­
              tors,  but  usually is sector 6. The backup must be
              within the range of reserved sectors.

       -c     Check the device for bad blocks before creating the
              file system.

       -C     Create  the  file  given  as  device on the command
              line, and write the to-be-created  file  system  to
              it.  This can be used to create the new file system
              in a file instead of on a real device, and to avoid
              using dd in advance to create a file of appropriate
              size. With this option,  the  block-count  must  be
              given,  because  otherwise the intended size of the

              a  sparse  file,  which  actually only contains the
              meta-data areas (boot sector, FATs, and root direc­
              tory).  The  data  portions  won't be stored on the
              disk, but the file nevertheless will have the  cor­
              rect  size.  The resulting file can be copied later
              to a  floppy  disk  or  other  device,  or  mounted
              through a loop device.

       -f number-of-FATs
              Specify the number of file allocation tables in the
              file system.  The  default  is  2.   Currently  the
              Linux MS-DOS file system does not support more than
              2 FATs.

       -F FAT-size
              Specifies the type of file allocation  tables  used
              (12,  16  or  32  bit).   If  nothing is specified,
              mkdosfs will automatically select between 12 and 16
              bit,  whatever fits better for the filesystem size.
              32 bit FAT (FAT32 format) must (still) be  selected
              explicitly if you want it.

       -i volume-id
              Sets the volume ID of the newly created filesystem;
              volume-id is a 32-bit hexadecimal number (for exam­
              ple,  2e24ec82).   The  default  is  a number which
              depends on the filesystem creation time.

       -I     Normally you are not  allowed  to  use  any  'full'
              fixed disk devices.  mkdosfs will complain and tell
              you that it refuses to  work.   This  is  different
              when  usind MO disks.  One doesn't always need par­
              titions on MO disks.  The filesytem can go directly
              to  the whole disk.  Under other OSes this is known
              as the 'superfloppy' format.

              This switch will force mkdosfs to work properly.

       -l filename
              Read the bad blocks list from filename.

       -m message-file
              Sets the message the user receives on  attempts  to
              boot   this   filesystem  without  having  properly
              installed an operating system.   The  message  file
              must not exceed 418 bytes once line feeds have been
              converted to  carriage  return-line  feed  combina­
              tions,  and  tabs have been expanded.  If the file­
              name is a hyphen (-), the text is taken from  stan­
              dard input.

       -n volume-name
              Sets  the  volume  name  (label) of the filesystem.

              The default is no label.

       -r root-dir-entries
              Select  the number of entries available in the root
              directory.  The default is 112 or 224 for  floppies
              and 512 for hard disks.

       -R number-of-reserved-sectors
              Select  the  number  of reserved sectos. With FAT32
              format at least 2 reserved sectors are needed,  the
              default is 32. Otherwise the default is 1 (only the
              boot sector).

       -s sectors-per-cluster
              Specify the number of  disk  sectors  per  cluster.
              Must be a power of 2, i.e. 1, 2, 4, 8, ... 128.

       -S logical-sector-size
              Specify  the  number  of  bytes per logical sector.
              Must be a power of 2 and greater than or  equal  to
              512,  i.e.  512,  1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384, or
              32768.

       -v     Verbose execution.


BUGS

       None are know at the moment.   If  you  find  any,  please
       report it them to <hpa@yggdrasil.com>.  Please include the
       version number (Yggdrasil 0.3a).


AUTHOR

       Dave Hudson - <dave@humbug.demon.co.uk>; modified by Peter
       Anvin  <hpa@yggdrasil.com>.  Fixes  and additions by Roman
       Hodek     <Roman.Hodek@informatik.uni-erlangen.de>     for
       Debian/GNU Linux.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

       mkdosfs is based on code from mke2fs (written by Remy Card
       - <card@masi.ibp.fr>) which is itself based on mkfs (writ­
       ten by Linus Torvalds - <torvalds@cs.helsinki.fi>).


SEE ALSO

       dosfsck(8), mkfs(8)


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