'\" t
.\"     Title: nvme-format
.\"    Author: [FIXME: author] [see http://www.docbook.org/tdg5/en/html/author]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets vsnapshot <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 01/08/2019
.\"    Manual: NVMe Manual
.\"    Source: NVMe
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "NVME\-FORMAT" "1" "01/08/2019" "NVMe" "NVMe Manual"
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.SH "NAME"
nvme-format \- Format an NVMe device
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.sp
.nf
\fInvme format\fR <device> [\-\-namespace\-id=<nsid> | \-n <nsid>]
                    [\-\-lbaf=<lbaf> | \-l <lbaf>]
                    [\-\-block\-size=<block size | \-b <block size>]
                    [\-\-ses=<ses> | \-s <ses>]
                    [\-\-pil=<pil> | \-p <pil>]
                    [\-\-pi=<pi> | \-i <pi>]
                    [\-\-ms=<ms> | \-m <ms>]
                    [\-\-reset | \-r ]
                    [\-\-timeout=<timeout> | \-t <timeout> ]
.fi
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.sp
For the NVMe device given, send an nvme Format Namespace admin command and provides the results\&.
.sp
The <device> parameter is mandatory and may be either the NVMe character device (ex: /dev/nvme0), or a namespace block device (ex: /dev/nvme0n1)\&. If the character device is given, the namespace identifier will default to 0xffffffff to send the format to all namespace, but can be overridden to any namespace with the \fInamespace\-id\fR option\&. If the block device is given, the namespace identifier will default to the namespace id of the block device given, but can be overridden with the same option\&.
.sp
On success, the program will automatically issue BLKRRPART ioctl to force rescanning the namespaces\&. If the driver is recent enough, this will automatically update the physical block size\&. If it is not recent enough, you will need to remove and rescan your device some other way for the new block size to be visible\&.
.SH "OPTIONS"
.PP
\-n <nsid>, \-\-namespace\-id=<nsid>
.RS 4
Send the format command for the specified nsid\&. This can be used to override the default value for either character device (0xffffffff) or the block device (result from NVME_IOCTL_ID)\&.
.RE
.PP
\-l <lbaf>, \-\-lbaf=<lbaf>
.RS 4
LBA Format: This field specifies the LBA format to apply to the NVM media\&. This corresponds to the LBA formats indicated in the Identify Namespace command\&. Conflicts with \-\-block\-size argument\&. Defaults to 0\&.
.RE
.PP
\-b <block size>, \-\-block\-size=<block size>
.RS 4
Block Size: This field is used to specify the target block size to format to\&. Potential lbaf values will be scanned and the lowest numbered will be selected for the format operation\&. Conflicts with \-\-lbaf argument\&.
.RE
.PP
\-s <ses>, \-\-ses=<ses>
.RS 4
Secure Erase Settings: This field specifies whether a secure erase should be performed as part of the format and the type of the secure erase operation\&. The erase applies to all user data, regardless of location (e\&.g\&., within an exposed LBA, within a cache, within deallocated LBAs, etc)\&. Defaults to 0\&.
.TS
allbox tab(:);
lt lt
lt lt
lt lt
lt lt
lt lt.
T{
Value
T}:T{
Definition
T}
T{
0
T}:T{
No secure erase operation requested
T}
T{
1
T}:T{
User Data Erase: All user data shall be erased, contents of the user data after the erase is indeterminate (e\&.g\&., the user data may be zero filled, one filled, etc)\&. The controller may perform a cryptographic erase when a User Data Erase is requested if all user data is encrypted\&.
T}
T{
2
T}:T{
Cryptographic Erase: All user data shall be erased cryptographically\&. This is accomplished by deleting the encryption key\&.
T}
T{
3\(en7
T}:T{
Reserved
T}
.TE
.sp 1
.RE
.PP
\-p <pil>, \-\-pil=<pil>
.RS 4
Protection Information Location: If set to \(oq1\(cq and protection information is enabled, then protection information is transferred as the first eight bytes of metadata\&. If cleared to \(oq0\(cq and protection information is enabled, then protection information is transferred as the last eight bytes of metadata\&. Defaults to 0\&.
.RE
.PP
\-i <pi>, \-\-pi=<pi>
.RS 4
Protection Information: This field specifies whether end\-to\-end data protection is enabled and the type of protection information\&. Defaults to 0\&.
.TS
allbox tab(:);
lt lt
lt lt
lt lt
lt lt
lt lt
lt lt.
T{
Value
T}:T{
Definition
T}
T{
0
T}:T{
Protection information is not enabled
T}
T{
1
T}:T{
Protection information is enabled, Type 1
T}
T{
2
T}:T{
Protection information is enabled, Type 2
T}
T{
3
T}:T{
Protection information is enabled, Type 3
T}
T{
4\(en7
T}:T{
Reserved
T}
.TE
.sp 1
.RE
.PP
\-m <ms>, \-\-ms=<ms>
.RS 4
Metadata Settings: This field is set to \(oq1\(cq if the metadata is transferred as part of an extended data LBA\&. This field is cleared to \(oq0\(cq if the metadata is transferred as part of a separate buffer\&. The metadata may include protection information, based on the Protection Information (PI) field\&. Defaults to 0\&.
.RE
.PP
\-r, \-\-reset
.RS 4
Issue a reset after successful format\&. Must use the character device for this\&.
.RE
.PP
\-t <timeout>, \-\-timeout=<timeout>
.RS 4
Override default timeout value\&. In milliseconds\&.
.RE
.SH "EXAMPLES"
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
Format the device using all defaults:
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
# nvme format /dev/nvme0n1
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
Format namespace 1 with user data secure erase settings and protection information:
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
# nvme format /dev/nvme0 \-\-namespace\-id=1 \-\-ses=1 \-\-pi=1
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.RE
.SH "NVME"
.sp
Part of the nvme\-user suite