mkfs.exfat
Section: Maintenance Commands (8)
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NAME
mkfs.exfat - create an exFAT filesystem
SYNOPSIS
mkfs.exfat
[
-b
boundary_alignment
] [
-c
cluster_size
] [
-f
] [
-h
] [
-L
volume_label
] [
--pack-bitmap
] [
-v
]
device
mkfs.exfat -V
DESCRIPTION
mkfs.exfat
creates an exFAT filesystem by writing on a special
file using the values found in the arguments of the command line.
It is invoked automatically by
mkfs(8)
when it is given the
-t exfat
option.
As an example, to make a filesystem on the first partition on the first
SCSI disk, use:
-
mkfs.exfat /dev/sda1
OPTIONS
- -b, --boundary-align=alignment
-
Specifies the alignment for the FAT and the start of the cluster heap.
The alignment argument is specified in bytes or may be specified with
m/M suffix for mebibytes or k/K suffix for kibibytes
and should be a power of two.
Some media like SD cards need this for optimal performance and endurance,
in which case alignment should be set to half of the card's native
boundary unit size.
If the card's native boundary unit size is not known, refer to the following
table of boundary unit sizes recommended by the SD Card Association.
Card Capacity Range | Cluster Size | Boundary Unit
|
|
| ≤8 MiB | 8 KiB | 8 KiB
|
>8 MiB | ≤64 MiB | 16 KiB | 16 KiB
|
>64 MiB | ≤256 MiB | 16 KiB | 32 KiB
|
>256 MiB | ≤1 GiB | 16 KiB | 64 KiB
|
>1 GiB | ≤2 GiB | 32 KiB | 64 KiB
|
>2 GiB | ≤32 GiB | 32 KiB | 4 MiB
|
>32 GiB | ≤128 GiB | 128 KiB | 16 MiB
|
>128 GiB | ≤512 GiB | 256 KiB | 32 MiB
|
>512 GiB | ≤2 TiB | 512 KiB | 64 MiB
|
- -c, --cluster-size=size
-
Specifies the cluster size of the exFAT file system.
The size argument is specified in bytes or may be specified with
m/M suffix for mebibytes or k/K suffix for kibibytes
and must be a power of two.
- -f, --full-format
-
Performs a full format.
This zeros the entire disk device while creating the exFAT filesystem.
- -h, --help
-
Prints the help and exit.
- -L, --volume-label=label
-
Specifies the volume label to be associated with the exFAT filesystem.
- --pack-bitmap
-
Attempts to relocate the exFAT allocation bitmap so that it ends at the
alignment boundary immediately following the FAT rather than beginning at that
boundary.
This strictly violates the SD card specification but may improve performance
and endurance on SD cards and other flash media not designed for use with exFAT
by allowing file-system metadata updates to touch fewer flash allocation units.
Furthermore, many SD cards and other flash devices specially optimize the
allocation unit where the FAT resides so as to support tiny writes with reduced
write amplification but expect only larger writes in subsequent allocation
units --- where the exFAT bitmap would be placed by default.
Specifying --pack-bitmap attempts to avoid the potential problems
associated with issuing many small writes to the bitmap by making it share an
allocation unit with the FAT.
If there is insufficient space for the bitmap there, then this option will have
no effect, and the bitmap will be aligned at the boundary as by default.
- -v, --verbose
-
Prints verbose debugging information while creating the exFAT filesystem.
- -V, --version
-
Prints the version number and exits.
SEE ALSO
mkfs(8),
mount(8),
Index
- NAME
-
- SYNOPSIS
-
- DESCRIPTION
-
- OPTIONS
-
- SEE ALSO
-
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Time: 17:59:40 GMT, May 18, 2024