Using The DOS Format Command

DocumentID: 643067
Revision Date: 29-Feb-96 8:18:49 PM

The information in this document applies to:
WordPerfect® 5.1 for DOS

Problem

Solutions: The features available with Format depend on the version of DOS you are using. DOS 2.1, the lowest version of DOS you are likely to encounter, can handle floppy sizes of 160K, 320K, and 360K (all 5.25"). DOS 3.0 added support for 1.2M floppies (5.25"). DOS 3.2 added support for 720K drives (3.5"), and DOS 3.3 added support for 1.44M (3.5") drives. All versions are downward-compatible with earlier versions. In order to use a specific type of drive, you need to have at least the earliest version of DOS which supported that size and capacity. A user of DOS 2.1, for example, cannot format or use a 720K 3.5" floppy without special utilities. The more useful switches for Format include the following: /S Installs the system files and COMMAND.COM so the drive (floppy or hard) can boot the machine. For an already formatted disk, the same procedure can be accomplished by typing SYS D: (which copies the hidden files to the proper drive), followed by COPY COMMAND.COM D: /V Prompts the user for the "volume label" at the end of the format (DOS 4.x does this automatically). A volume label is simply the "name" of the disk, which is displayed whenever you do a DIR or CHKDSK command. /4 Formats a 360K disk in a 1.2M drive. This is useful if you need to format a floppy to work on an older-style drive that cannot handle the higher density disks. One customer received the error "Invalid Parameter" when using the Format command. The disk formatted correctly when the customer used the following command line: FORMAT A: /N:9 /T:80 How/Why: The above command is used to format a 720K disk in a 1.44MB floppy drive. See also 1098_WP50 and ALL_7200 in the DOS infobase.

Answer:

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