MKFS(8) MKFS(8)
NAME
mkfs, mkext - archive or update a file system
SYNOPSIS
disk/mkfs [-aprvxU] [-d root] [-n name] [-s source] [-u
users] [-z n] proto ...
disk/mkext [-d name] [-u] [-h] [-v] [-x] [-T] file ...
DESCRIPTION
Mkfs copies files from the file tree source (default /) to a
kfs file system (see kfs(4)). The kfs service is mounted on
root (default /n/kfs), and /adm/users is copied to
root/adm/users. The proto files are read (see proto(2) for
their format) and any files specified in them that are out
of date are copied to /n/kfs.
Mkfs copies only those files that are out of date. Such a
file is first copied into a temporary file in the appropri-
ate destination directory and then moved to the destination
file. Files in the kfs file system that are not specified
in the proto file are not updated and not removed.
The options to mkfs are:
a Instead of writing to a kfs file system, write an
archive file to standard output, suitable for
mkext. All files in proto, not just those out of
date, are archived.
x For use with -a, this option writes a list of file
names, dates, and sizes to standard output rather
than producing an archive file.
d root Copy files into the tree rooted at root (default
/n/kfs). This option suppresses setting the uid
and gid fields when copying files. Use -U to
reenable it.
n name Use kfs.name as the name of the kfs service
(default kfs).
p Update the permissions of a file even if it is up
to date.
r Copy all files.
s source Copy from files rooted at the tree source.
u users Copy file users into /adm/users in the new system.
v Print the names of all of the files as they are
copied.
z n Copy files assuming kfs block n (default 1024)
bytes long. If a block contains only 0-valued
bytes, it is not copied.
Mkext unpacks archive files made by the -a option of mkfs.
Page 1 Plan 9 (printed 10/29/25)
MKFS(8) MKFS(8)
Each file on the command line is unpacked in one pass
through the archive. If the file is a directory, all files
and subdirectories of that directory are also unpacked.
When a file is unpacked, the entire path is created if it
does not exist. If no files are specified, the entire
archive is unpacked; in this case, missing intermediate
directories are not created. The options are:
d specifies a directory (default /) to serve as the root
of the unpacked file system.
u sets the owners of the files created to correspond to
those in the archive and restores the modification
times of the files.
T restores only the modification times of the files.
v prints the names and sizes of files as they are
extracted.
h prints headers for the files on standard output instead
of unpacking the files.
EXAMPLES
Make an archive to establish a new file system:
disk/mkfs -a -u files/adm.users -s dist proto > arch
Unpack that archive onto a new file system:
srv newfs
mount -c /srv/newfs /n/newfs
disk/mkext -u -d /n/newfs < arch
Copy a subtree, from-dir, to another, to-dir, with greater
fidelity than dircp:
disk/mkfs -a -s from-dir /sys/lib/sysconfig/proto/allproto |
disk/mkext -ud to-dir
SOURCE
/sys/src/cmd/disk/mkfs.c
/sys/src/cmd/disk/mkext.c
SEE ALSO
prep(8), kfscmd(8), sd(3), tar(1)
Page 2 Plan 9 (printed 10/29/25)