FORMAT (command)

FORMAT.COM, in Windows NT format.com, is a command line program that compatible with PC - DOS, OS / 2 and Windows is included and serves to format a storage medium ( usually a floppy disk or hard disk).

This generally results in a simple formatting by, ie not the entire hard disk will be overwritten, only the FAT (or MFT for NTFS ) is cleared ( / P parameter causes a Complete Overwrite in older U versions / ). In addition FORMAT.COM checks the entire drive, this can be skipped but a quick format ( parameter Q / ). Under DOS, you can additionally cause with the / S parameter that the MS -DOS system files are copied to the drive and it is provided with a boot block (which is especially useful for boot disks ).

Supported Media and File Systems

Under DOS FORMAT.COM could, depending on the version of DOS ( FAT12 ) and hard drives formatted all standard 5.25 "and 3.5" floppy disk types ( FAT16 ). Starting with Windows 95B also the FAT32 file system is supported. On Windows NT -based operating systems to Windows 2000 FORMAT.COM also supported NTFS, and HPFS partitions and Floptical drives with a capacity of 21 MB. From Windows XP, the functionality has been greatly reduced, as only 3.5 "floppy disks are supported with a capacity of 1.44 MB and also the possibility for formatting HPFS drives has been removed.

On floppy FORMAT.COM performs a low-level formatting, are hereby written track and sector information. Hard disks only a high -level format is performed.

Trivia

The command format c:, formats the system drive has been included in the net culture and is famous there as under Linux users the command rm- rf /, since it irrevocably destroyed the system. On NT -based operating systems, this is no longer possible, since this lock it and prevent formatting.

  • DOS operating system component
  • Windows operating system component
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