mkfs

Updated: September 28, 2024

Build a linux filesystem. This is a front-end for the various filesystem builders (mkfs.fstype).

Table of Contents

To see drives use inxi -Do or fdisk -l

ARGUMENTS

mkfs [options] [-t type] [fs-options] device [size]
	-h, --help					# display help information.
	-t, --type <type> 			# specify the type of filesystem to be built.
	-v, --verbose				# show commands as they are executed.
	-V, --version				# display version information.

BUILDERS

mkfs.ext4
	-b <block-size>				# specify the size of blocks. 1024, 2048, 4096 per block.
	-c 							# check device for bad blocks before creating fs.
	-d root-directory			# copy contents of given dir into root dir of fs.
	-l <filename> 				# read bad blocks list from filename.
	-L <newname>				# set new volume label for filesystem.
	-n 							# dry run
	-q							# quiet execution. (useful for scripts)
	-t <fstype>					# specify file system type (ext2, ext3, ext4 etc)
	-U <UUID>					# Set the UUID of fs. (clear, random, time)
	-v							# verbose execution
	-V							# version number
	-z <undo_file>				# write old contents to undo_file that can be used later to restore.

EXAMPLES

mkfs -t ext4 /dev/sdb2
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb2

WINDOWS

You may need to install dosfstools if it is not on your system.

Make sure the drive is first unmounted before formatting. Example for sda2: umount /dev/sda2

sudo mkdosfs -F 32 -I /dev/sda2