Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!udel!mmdf
From: jones@eglin.af.mil (Calvin Jones, III)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Formatting 3.5" Floppies
Message-ID: <3730@nigel.udel.EDU>
Date: 9 Nov 89 15:40:37 GMT
Sender: mmdf@udel.EDU
Lines: 36

"Robin D. Wilson/1000000" <robin@sabre.uucp> writes:

> mark.ji@canremote.uucp (MARK JI) writes:
> >Something is distinctly wrong with my A500.. Whenever i try to format a
> >new disk, the format procedure always starts up, when after formatting
> >the first track and trying to validate it, the computer tells me that
> >the disk is unreadable.. I know that the disks are not bad, they are
> > 
> >Mark
 
 
> I agree!  I have the same problem.  When I try the format command from the 
> Shell I get exactly the same problem.  I don't have the amigados manual, but 
> from the 1.3 Enhancements book that came with my A500 it looks like I am 
> typing the right command.  So far I haven't tried the "initialize" option
> from the workbench, but I would still like to know how its done from 
> the Shell.

Try this at the shell (or CLI) prompt:
 
   FORMAT DRIVE DF1: NAME EMPTY
     |      |    |    |    |
     |      |    |    |     \ Volume Name. You may cahage this.
     |      |    |     \ Keyword. Must be NAME.
     |      |     \ May be DF0: or DF1: or DF2: or DF3:
     |       \ Keyword. Must be DRIVE.
      \ Command. You MUST have a file named FORMAT in either your
        current directory or in the directory assigned to C:, or
        in another directory that is included in your search path.

You may follow this with the keyword NOICONS if you do not need to use 
the disk with workbench. (i.e.  You don't need a trashcan and you won't 
be booting from this disk.)
 
You may follow this with the keyword QUICK if the disk is a valid, 
previously formatted AmigaDos disk and you just want to "erase" it.