nvme-format(1)
NAME
nvme-format - Format an NVMe device
SYNOPSIS
nvme format <device> [--namespace-id=<nsid> | -n <nsid>]
[--lbaf=<lbaf> | -l <lbaf>]
[--ses=<ses> | -s <ses>]
[--pil=<pil> | -p <pil>]
[--pi=<pi> | -i <pi>]
[--ms=<ms> | -m <ms>]
[--reset | -r ]
[--timeout | -t ]
DESCRIPTION
For the NVMe device given, send an nvme Format Namespace admin command and provides the results. 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 namespace-id 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. 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.
OPTIONS
-n <nsid>, --namespace-id=<nsid>
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).
-l <lbaf>, --lbaf=<lbaf>
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. Defaults to 0.
-s <ses>, --ses=<ses>
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.
Value Definition
0 No secure erase operation
requested
1 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.
2 Cryptographic Erase: All
user data shall be erased
cryptographically. This is
accomplished by deleting
the encryption key.
3--7 Reserved
-p <pil>, --pil=<pil>
Protection Information Location: If set to '1' and protection
information is enabled, then protection information is transferred
as the first eight bytes of metadata. If cleared to '0' and
protection information is enabled, then protection information is
transferred as the last eight bytes of metadata. Defaults to 0.
-i <pi>, --pi=<pi>
Protection Information: This field specifies whether end-to-end
data protection is enabled and the type of protection information.
Defaults to 0.
Value Definition
0 Protection information is
not enabled
1 Protection information is
enabled, Type 1
2 Protection information is
enabled, Type 2
3 Protection information is
enabled, Type 3
4--7 Reserved
-m <ms>, --ms=<ms>
Metadata Settings: This field is set to '1' if the metadata is
transferred as part of an extended data LBA. This field is cleared
to '0' 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.
-r, --reset
Issue a reset after successful format. Must use the character
device for this.
-t <timeout>, --timeout=<timeout>
Override default timeout value. In milliseconds.
EXAMPLES
* Format the device using all defaults:
# nvme format /dev/nvme0n1
* Format namespace 1 with user data secure erase settings and
protection information:
# nvme format /dev/nvme0 --namespace-id=1 --ses=1 --pi=1
NVME
Part of the nvme-user suite
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