Commodore PC Ms-Dos 3.2 User's Manual page 46

32 MS-DOS User's Guide
Formatting a disk
Note If you have only one disk drive, MS-DOS prompts you
to insert the disk that you want to format. Refer to the section
"If You Have Only One Floppy Disk Drive" in Chapter 3.
You can also format a blank disk so that some special ms-dos files
are copied onto it during formatting. These files are necessary if
you want to use the disk to start ms-dos. So to format a blank disk
in drive B and include the special ms-dos files, you would use the
following command:
format b: /v /s
O
Format a
disk...
\...and copy the special ms-dos files.
...ask for a label,...
...on drive Bt...
It is important to copy these files with the format command
when you make a copy of your ms-dos master disk.
If you don't want to use the disk to start ms-dos you don't need
to specify the /s option. But if you have a disk and don't know
whether you can use it to start ms-dos, just put the disk into drive
A and press control-alt-del. If the disk doesn't contain the system
files, ms-dos displays an error message.
Example
Suppose you need to create a new data disk to hold some tax
records, but you don't want to copy the special ms-dos files when
formatting the disk. So to format and label a blank disk (in drive
B) without including the special msdos files, you simply follow
these steps:
Q] Make sure that the ms-dos disk is in drive A.
[U At the ms-dos prompt, type the following command:
format b: /v
HI Press the return key.
Your screen should look like this:
A>format b: /V
Insert new diskette for drive B:
and strike ENTER when ready_
El Insert a blank disk in drive B.
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