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2.
Depending on the type of diskette you are formatting, type one of the following
commands at the system prompt:
format a:/s
format a:/f:720
format a:/f:720/s
3.
For either a 2DD or a 2HD diskette, the following message appears:
Insert new diskette for drive A:
and press ENTER when ready . . .
4.
Make sure your diskette is not write protected, then insert it into the diskette drive and
press Enter. FORMAT displays its progress on your screen.
After formatting is complete, FORMAT lists the actual number of bytes formatted and
displays:
Format another
5.
Press Y if you want to format another diskette or N if you're done. Press Enter.
CAUTION
Formatting destroys all data on your disk. Be careful when using
the MS-DOS FORMAT command.
For more about using the FORMAT command, see your MS-DOS documentation.
System/Non-System Disks
As explained in the previous section, disks can be formatted as either a system or non-system
disk. This section describes these disks after they are formatted.
Any diskette can be a system disk, which means you can use it to start up the system on your
computer. After you install MS-DOS, create a system disk to use in case your hard disk fails.
Creating a System Disk
To create a system disk:
format a:
formats a 2HD diskette to hold 1.44MB.
formats a 2HD diskette to hold 1.44MB and copies
the MS-DOS system files on it.
formats a 2DD diskette to hold 720KB.
formats a 2DD diskette to hold 720KB and copies
the MS-DOS system files on it.
(Y/N)?
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