MKFS.EXT2(8)

NAME
mkfs.ext2 - create a Linux second extended file system

SYNOPSIS
mkfs.ext2 [ -c | -t | -l filename ] [ -b block-size ] [ -f fragment-size ] [ -i bytes-per-inode ] [ -m reserved-blocks-percentage ] [ -v ] device [ blocks-count ]

DESCRIPTION
mkfs.ext2 is used to create a Linux second extended file system on a device (usually a disk partition).
device is the special file corresponding to the device (e.g /dev/hdXX).
blocks-count is the number of blocks on the device. If omitted, mkfs.ext2 automagically figures the file system size.

OPTIONS

-b block-size
    Specify the size of blocks in bytes.

-c  Check the device for bad blocks before creating the file system.

-f fragment-size
    Specify the size of fragments in bytes.

-i bytes-per-inode
    Specify the bytes/inode ratio. mkfs.ext2 creates an inode for every bytes-per-inode bytes of space on the disk. This value defaults to 4096 bytes. bytes-per-inode must be at least 1024.

-l filename
    Read the bad blocks list from filename .

-m reserved-blocks-percentage
    Specify the percentage of reserved blocks for the super-user. This value defaults to 5%.

-t  Check the device for bad blocks before creating the file system.

-v  Verbose execution.

AUTHOR
mkfs.ext2 is based on mkefs(8) which is based itself on mkfs(8) written by Linus Torvalds <torvalds@cs.helsinki.fi> for the minix file system.
Remy Card <card@masi.ibp.fr> has adapted it to the second extended file system and is maintaining it.
Adam Richter <adam@soda.berkeley.edu> added the automatic file system size detection.

BUGS
mkfs.ext2 accepts the -b and -f option but currently ignores them because the second extended file system does not support variable block sizes nor fragments yet.
The -g option has been added quickly and has not been tested.
There may be some other ones. Please, report them to the author.

AVAILABILITY
mkfs.ext2 is available for anonymous ftp from ftp.ibp.fr (132.227.60.2) in /pub/linux/BETA/ext2fs.

SEE ALSO
e2fsck(8), tune2fs(8)