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---
title: "Storage Format (Linux)"
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sidebar: false
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---
### Required Reading
This is an add-on section for formatting a storage device for use with the StorageMgr kernel plugin.
Additionally, there is an optional section for checking your storage device for errors using F3. Depending on the size of your storage device and the speed of your computer, the checking process can take up to several hours!
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This page is for Linux users only. If you are not on Linux, check out the [Storage Format (Windows) ](storage-format-(windows )) or [Storage Format (Mac) ](storage-format-(mac )) pages.
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### What You Need
* The latest version of [exfat-utils ](https://github.com/relan/exfat ) for your distribution (check your package manager)
* The latest version of [fuse-exfat ](https://github.com/relan/exfat ) for your distribution (check your package manager)
* The latest version of [F3 ](https://github.com/AltraMayor/f3/releases/latest )
+ This is not required if you do not want to check your storage device for errors
### Instructions
#### Section I - Formatting Storage Device
1. Insert your storage device into your computer
1. Unmount your storage device with `umount`
1. Run `sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX` to wipe the storage device
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+ `sdX` should be the device corresponding to your storage device
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1. Remove your storage device from your computer
1. Re-insert your storage device into your computer
1. Run `mkfs.exfat /dev/sdX` to format your storage device as exFAT
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+ If your storage device has a capacity of 256 GB or greater, you must format with a cluster size of 64 KB
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#### Section II - Verifying Storage Device
If you do not want to check your storage device for errors, skip this section.
1. Unzip the f3 `.zip` file
1. `cd` into the f3 directory
1. Run `make` to compile F3
1. Insert your storage device into your computer
1. Mount your storage device
1. Run `./f3write <your storage device mount point>`
1. Wait until the process is complete. See below for an example output.
~~~ bash
$ ./f3write /media/michel/6135-3363/
Free space: 29.71 GB
Creating file 1.h2w ... OK!
...
Creating file 30.h2w ... OK!
Free space: 0.00 Byte
Average Writing speed: 4.90 MB/s
~~~
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8. Run `./f3read <your storage device mount point>`
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1. Wait until the process is complete. See below for an example output.
~~~ bash
$ ./f3read /media/michel/6135-3363/
SECTORS ok/corrupted/changed/overwritten
Validating file 1.h2w ... 2097152/ 0/ 0/ 0
...
Validating file 30.h2w ... 1491904/ 0/ 0/ 0
Data OK: 29.71 GB (62309312 sectors)
Data LOST: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
Corrupted: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
Slightly changed: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
Overwritten: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)
Average Reading speed: 9.42 MB/s
~~~
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If the test shows the result `Data LOST: 0.00 Byte (0 sectors)` your storage device is good and you can delete all `.h2w` files on your storage device.
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If the test shows any other results, your storage device may be corrupted or damaged and you may have to replace it!
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::: tip
Return to [StorageMgr ](storagemgr )
:::
