Creating a FAT16 file syetem on SD card of CnM miniBook

[DaveS]

Hi

I have a CnM miniBook (from Novatech). I understand that to apply fixes or perform system restores the SD card must be formatted as a FAT16 file system and the fix read from the card.

Can anyone tell me the process to format the SD card as a FAT16 file system?

I found a procedure that used 'fdisk' to define a FAT16 partition but then used 'mkdosfs' to complete the process. 'mkdosfs' is 'not found' when I tried to use it as were any others ('parted', 'sfdisk', 'mkfs', ….).

Anyone help?

DaveS.

[Leven2e]

Open "my computer"
Find the icon of your SD card
Right click on it,choose format.
Click on it.
Select the desired file system.
Format.
If you cant do it,get a third party software.

[DaveS]

Hi Leven2e

I assume as you mention 'My Computer' you are talking Windows. Unfortunately the CnM miniBook does not support Windows it is a Linux only machine and I was looking for the Linux commands.

However I think I am going to have to buy a SD card reader / writer and resort to Windows to do the format.

Thanks for the info.
DaveS.

[Leven2e]

Sorry,I presumed you'd had SD card reader already.And windows.

[surfingus]

I found this site offering a free disc management tool which apparently will format to FAT

http://www.compuapps.com/Download/swissknife/swissknife.htm

I've just downloaded it myself and will be trying it out.

This is my first day with the Mini Book so I'm completely new.

It's certainly worth a try.

Best of luck

[bafni]

According to the GNU/Linux Desktop Survival Guide ( http://www.togaware.com/linux/survivor/ )

$ mkfs -t vfat /dev/sdc1 /sd/sd_1

should do it

[surfingus]

The SD memory card arribved today and so I tried the swissknife program I suggested on 2 Dec.

Sadly, the options for changing the format to FAT seeme to have been greyed out and I couldn't find any way to change this.

However, a freind did say that there is a utility in XP to format in FAT.

Load the SD Card using an Card Adaptor connected to the USB port onto the PC

START > Programs > Administrive Tools > Computer management.

On the Right Hand panel of Computer management, click Disk Management and right click the panel indicating the SD Card. It should be recognisable by it size and because it will be empty.

In the Format Type, select FAT16

The PC will attempt to warn that this format isn't compatable with Windows, Click OK

[bafni]

Or do it from a command prompt

format x: /FS:FAT

much simpler

[jimux]

Creating a FAT16 partition on an SD card can be a bit of a hassle in a Linux only environment. My CnM Book uses a version of Busybox that does not provide mkfs, but it does provide mkfs.minix which only creates minix format partitions.  Odd since the SD slot will not read these.

Linux Suse on my main machines is a bit temperamental about writing to SD cards it has formatted itself. (slot in printer and also USB multi-reader device.)

However Puppy Linux, using the GParted tool, is very reliable and cards formatted by it are readable on all boxes I've got - x386, i686, PowerPC RISC, ARM and MIPS.  No need to set up a machine, just download a Puppy .ISO file, burn to DVD or CD and boot from your optical device when you want to manage cards or other USB devices.

[jimux]

After weeks of problems using my Linux boxes to write SD cards for use in the CnMbook I have finally (I think) found the cause.  Even thought I waited for the activity light to stop and issued a safe unmount command I would get corrupt files - especially image files.
Now once the activity light has stopped I open a terminal from filemanager and issue a 'sync' command.  To my surprise the activity light starts flashing again, and for some considerable time before the command prompt returns in the terminal. 
But since adopting this practice all files have been OK.
I always knew that Linux writes to buffer and then does a sweep to disk when the buffer reaches a threshold. but did not realise this included external USB connected devices.