jammy (8) mkfs.exfat.8.gz

Provided by: exfatprogs_1.1.3-1_amd64 bug

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

  1. 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
  1. 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.
  1. f, –full-format

Performs a full format. This zeros the entire disk device while creating the exFAT

            filesystem.
  1. h, –help

Prints the help and exit.

  1. L, –volume-label=label

Specifies the volume label to be associated with the exFAT filesystem.

  1. -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.
  1. v, –verbose

Prints verbose debugging information while creating the exFAT filesystem.

  1. V, –version

Prints the version number and exits.

SEE ALSO

     mkfs(8), mount(8),
                                                                                  mkfs.exfat(8)