IA: The fdisk Menu
The fdisk menu appears on IA based systems only and looks similar to the following.
format> fdisk Total disk size is 1855 cylinders Cylinder size is 553 (512 byte) blocks Cylinders Partition Status Type Start End Length % ========= ====== ======== ===== === ====== === 1 DOS-BIG 0 370 371 20 2 Active SOLARIS 370 1851 1482 80 SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. Create a partition 2. Change Active (Boot from) partition 3. Delete a partition 4. Exit (Update disk configuration and exit) 5. Cancel (Exit without updating disk configuration) Enter Selection: |
The following table describes the fdisk menu items.
Table 35-3 IA: Descriptions for fdisk Menu Items
Menu Item | Description |
---|---|
Create a partition | Creates an fdisk partition. You must create a separate partition for each operating environment such as Solaris or DOS. There is a maximum of 4 partitions per disk. You are prompted for the size of the fdisk partition as a percentage of the disk. |
Change Active partition | Lets you specify the partition to be used for booting. This menu item identifies where the first stage boot program looks for the second stage boot program. |
Delete a partition | Deletes a previously created partition. This command destroys all the data in the partition. |
Exit | Writes a new version of the partition table and exits the fdisk menu. |
Cancel | Exits the fdisk menu without modifying the partition table. |
The analyze Menu
The analyze menu looks similar to the following.
format> analyze ANALYZE MENU: read - read only test (doesn't harm SunOS) refresh - read then write (doesn't harm data) test - pattern testing (doesn't harm data) write - write then read (corrupts data) compare - write, read, compare (corrupts data) purge - write, read, write (corrupts data) verify - write entire disk, then verify (corrupts data) print - display data buffer setup - set analysis parameters config - show analysis parameters quit analyze> |
The following table describes the analyze menu items.
Table 35-4 Descriptions for analyze Menu Item
Sub-Command | Description | |
---|---|---|
read | Reads each sector on the current disk. Repairs defective blocks as a default. | |
refresh | Reads then writes data on the current disk without harming the data. Repairs defective blocks as a default. | |
test | Writes a set of patterns to the disk without harming the data. Repairs defective blocks as a default. | |
write | Writes a set of patterns to the disk then reads the data on the disk back. Destroys existing data on the disk. Repairs defective blocks as a default. | |
compare | Writes a set of patterns to the disk, reads the data back, and then compares it to the data in the write buffer. Destroys existing data on the disk. Repairs defective blocks as a default. | |
purge | Removes all data from the disk so that the data can't be retrieved by any means. Data is removed by writing three distinct patterns over the entire disk (or a section of the disk). If the verification passes, a hex-bit pattern is written over the entire disk (or a section of the disk). Repairs defective blocks as a default. | |
verify | Writes unique data to each block on the entire disk in the first pass. Reads and verifies the data in the next pass. Destroys existing data on the disk. Repairs defective blocks as a default. | |
Displays the data in the read/write buffer. | ||
setup | Lets you specify the following analysis parameters:
Defaults are shown in bold. | |
config | Displays the current analysis parameters. | |
quit | Exits the analyze menu. |
The defect Menu
The defect menu looks similar to the following:
format> defect DEFECT MENU: primary - extract manufacturer's defect list grown - extract manufacturer's and repaired defects lists both - extract both primary and grown defects lists print - display working list dump - dump working list to file quit defect> |
The following table describes the defect menu items.
Table 35-5 The defect Menu Item Descriptions
Sub-Command | Description |
---|---|
primary | Reads the manufacturer's defect list from the disk drive and updates the in-memory defect list. |
grown | Reads the grown defect list, which are defects that have been detected during analysis, and then updates the in-memory defect list. |
both | Reads both the manufacturer's defect list and the grown defect list, and then updates the in-memory defect list. |
Displays the in-memory defect list. | |
dump | Saves the in-memory defect list to a file. |
quit | Exits the defect menu. |
The format.dat File
The format.dat file that is shipped with the Solaris operating environment supports many standard disks. If your disk drive is not listed in the format.dat file, you can choose to add an entry for it or adding entries with the format utility by selecting the type command and choosing the other option.
Adding an entry to the format.dat file can save time if the disk drive will be used throughout your site. To use the format.dat file on other systems, copy the file to each system that will use the specific disk drive that you added to the format.dat file.
You should modify the /etc/format.dat file for your system if you have one of the following:
A disk that is not supported by the Solaris operating environment
A disk with a slice table that is different from the Solaris operating environment default configuration
Note - Do not alter default entries in the /etc/format.dat file. If you want to alter the default entries, copy the entry, give it a different name, and make the appropriate changes to avoid confusion.