.TH DVD+RW\-FORMAT 1 "24 Aug 2012" "dvd+rw\-tools 7.1"
.SH NAME
dvd+rw\-format \- formatting and blanking DVD and BD media program.
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B dvd+rw\-format
[\fB\-force\fP[\fB\=full\fP]]
[\fB\-lead\-out|\-blank\fP[\fB\=full\fP]]
[\fB\-ssa\fP[\fB\=none|default|max|XXXm\fP]]
.I /dev/dvd

.SH DESCRIPTION
\fBdvd+rw\-format\fP is a part of \fBdvd+rw\-tools\fP suite and allows to
format virgin DVD+RW or BD\-RE media for the first use or blank already
written DVD\-RW.
Typical use cases of using \fBdvd+rw\-format\fP is formatting DVD\-RW to
make them over\-writable, blanking used DVD\-RW to make them sequentially
writable from scratch, formatting BD\-RE and DVD\-RAM with custom
spare area sizes or re\-formatting BD\-RE and DVD\-RAM to change their spare
size.
It is not possible to format CD\-RW by \fBdvd+rw\-format\fP,
you can use \fBcdrskin\fP, \fBxorriso\fP or \fBwodim\fP utilities to blank
them or cdrwtool to format them instead, see section \fBEXAMPLES\fP.

A DVD\-RW accepts two disc modes: the \fISequential Recording\fP
and the \fIRestricted Overwrite\fP. If a DVD\-RW medium is in the latter one,
it will behave much like DVD+RW.
By default DVD\-RW discs are in Sequential Recording mode, but
can be put into Restricted Overwrite mode using \fBdvd+rw\-format\fP
when no options given.
Be aware, that only \-blank=full, which lasts as long as full writing,
makes a used sequential DVD\-RW capable of performing multi\-session,
while fast blanked DVD\-RW can only do Disk\-At\-Once.

Virgin DVD\-RW can be directly written without
the need of a formatting operation, however a non\-virgin DVD\-RW in
Sequential Recording mode needs to be blanked before writing a new
initial session. Since a DVD\-RW medium in the Restricted Overwrite
mode behaves much like DVD+RW, it  can be written again without prior
formatting the media.

Virgin BD\-RE and DVD+RW media may be initially formatted prior
usage. Any\-time later, \fBgrowisofs\fP program will take care of formatting
it automatically whenever appropriate, while further formatting is not
recommended, however it is possible.

.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.BI \-force[\=full]
Perform formatting even if the medium is formatted already. This is not
recommended for BD\-RE and DVD+RW media, since they need to be
formatted only once. Use \fB\-format=full\fP to perform full (lengthy)
reformat in case of DVD\-RAM or (lengthy) Full Certification in case of
BD\-RE.
.TP
.BI \-lead\-out
Relocates the lead\-out next to outermost written sector as well as makes
sure there is no virgin surface before it. This can make the medium more
compatible with some DVD players. Previously written data is not
affected by this operation. 
.TP
.BI \-blank[\=full]
Wipe data from DVD\-RW media. Data on BD\-RE and DVD+RW will we overwritten
automatically, so there is no need to blank them explicitly.
Use \fB\-blank\=full\fP to change DVD\-RW back to Sequential Recording mode.
.TP
.BI \-ssa[\=none|default|max|XXXm]
Grow, eliminate, reset to default or maximize \fISupplementary Spare Area\fP.

.SH EXAMPLES
Actual device names vary from one operating system to another. We use
\fI/dev/dvd\fP as a collective name or as symbolic link to the actual
device if you wish. Under Linux it will most likely be a
device such as "/dev/sr0" or "/dev/hda" for older Linux 2.6.

To blank a CD\-RW, you have to use another utility, e.g. wodim:

        \fBwodim\fP \fBblank=fast\fP \-immed dev=\fI/dev/cdrom\fP
        \fBcdrskin\fP \fBblank=all|fast|as_needed\fP \-immed dev=\fI/dev/cdrom\fP
        \fBxorriso\fP \fB\-outdev\fP \fI/dev/cdrom\fP \fB\-blank all|fast|as_needed\fP
        
To format CD\-RW, you can use cdrwtool:

        \fBcdrwtool\fP \fB\-d\fP \fI/dev/cdrom\fP \fB\-q\fP

To blank a DVD\-RW and put in the incremental sequential mode, run:

        \fBdvd+rw\-format\fP \fB\-blank=full\fP \fI/dev/dvd\fP

To blank a DVD\-RW and put in the Restricted Overwrite mode, run:

        \fBdvd+rw\-format\fP \fB\-force\fP \fI/dev/dvd\fP

To overwrite data of BD\-RE, DVD+RW, DVD\-RW or DVD\-RAM run:

        \fBgrowisofs\fP \fB\-Z\fP \fI/dev/dvd\fP\=\fI/dev/zero\fP

To blank a DVD\-RAM, you can use:

        \fBdd\fP if\=\fI/dev/zero\fP of\=\fI/dev/dvd\fP

To relocate lead\-out sector, run:

        \fBdvd+rw\-format\fP \fB\-lead\-out\fP \fI/dev/dvd\fP
        
.SH NOTES
Note that DVD+RW re\-formatting procedure does not substitute for
blanking. If you want to nullify the media, e.g. for privacy reasons,
do it explicitly with 'growisofs \-Z \fI/dev/dvd\fP\=\fB/dev/zero\fP'.

When growisofs "runs into" blank Blu\-ray Disc media or BD\-RE,
it gets pre\-formatted with minimal spare area size of 256MB.

.SH SEE ALSO
Most up\-to\-date information on dvd+rw\-tools is available at
http://fy.chalmers.se/~appro/linux/DVD+RW/.
.PP
.BR growisofs (1),
.BR cdrskin (1),
.BR xorriso (1),
.BR wodim (1),
.BR cdrwtool (1)

.SH AUTHORS
Andy Polyakov <appro@fy.chalmers.se> stands for programming and on\-line
information.

This manpage was created by Honza Horak <hhorak@redhat.com> and consulted by
Thomas Schmitt <scdbackup@gmx.net>.

.SH LICENSE
\fBdvd+rw\-format\fP is distributed under GNU GPL.