---
name: "fdformat"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "util-linux"
version: "2.36.1-8+deb11u2"
release: "Debian 11 (Bullseye)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fdformat/8"
---

# fdformat(8)

low-level format a floppy disk

## NAME

fdformat - low-level format a floppy disk

## SYNOPSIS

**fdformat** \[options\] *device*

## DESCRIPTION

**fdformat** does a low-level format on a floppy disk. *device* is usually one of the following (for floppy devices the major = 2, and the minor is shown for informational purposes only):

```
/dev/fd0d360  (minor = 4)
/dev/fd0h1200 (minor = 8)
/dev/fd0D360  (minor = 12)
/dev/fd0H360  (minor = 12)
/dev/fd0D720  (minor = 16)
/dev/fd0H720  (minor = 16)
/dev/fd0h360  (minor = 20)
/dev/fd0h720  (minor = 24)
/dev/fd0H1440 (minor = 28)
```

/dev/fd1d360  (minor = 5) /dev/fd1h1200 (minor = 9) /dev/fd1D360  (minor = 13) /dev/fd1H360  (minor = 13) /dev/fd1D720  (minor = 17) /dev/fd1H720  (minor = 17) /dev/fd1h360  (minor = 21) /dev/fd1h720  (minor = 25) /dev/fd1H1440 (minor = 29)

The generic floppy devices, /dev/fd0 and /dev/fd1, will fail to work with **fdformat** when a non-standard format is being used, or if the format has not been autodetected earlier.  In this case, use [**setfdprm**(8)](/setfdprm/8.md) to load the disk parameters.

## OPTIONS

- **-f**, **--from** *N*

  Start at the track *N* (default is 0).

- **-t**, **--to** *N*

  Stop at the track *N*.

- **-r**, **--repair** *N*

  Try to repair tracks failed during the verification (max *N* retries).

- **-n**, **--no-verify**

  Skip the verification that is normally performed after the formatting.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Display version information and exit.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Display help text and exit.

## NOTES

This utility does not handle USB floppy disk drives. Use [**ufiformat**(8)](/ufiformat/8.md) instead.

## AUTHORS

Werner Almesberger (almesber@nessie.cs.id.ethz.ch)

## SEE ALSO

[**fd**(4)](/fd/4.md), **emkfs**(8), [**mkfs**(8)](/mkfs/8.md), [**setfdprm**(8)](/setfdprm/8.md), [**ufiformat**(8)](/ufiformat/8.md)

## AVAILABILITY

The fdformat command is part of the util-linux package and is available from https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/util-linux/.