Writing a script that creates a 1GB file with zeros using dd


 
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# 1  
Old 10-17-2016
Writing a script that creates a 1GB file with zeros using dd

I am new to Linux. Using latest version of Ubuntu.

I want to make a script that creates a 1GB file filled with zeros using dd and then formats the file as vfat with a label of "MYFILE".

If anyone can help me it would be appreciated.
# 2  
Old 10-17-2016
This link here seems pretty useful, let us know what you could brew from it :-)
# 3  
Old 10-17-2016
Yeh, I got how to make the file filled with zero's in my script, but how can I format the file using vfat and assign a label of 'MYFILE' and then use pv to write the image to a usb drive?

confused :/
# 4  
Old 10-17-2016
You can't "format the file using vfat". The underlying file system determines the way a file is stored. File systems include ufs (unix file system), ext(2,3,4) (extended fs, linux), vfat (msdos), and others.
If you use e.g. a preformatted external disk, chances are it was formatted as vfat.

Last edited by RudiC; 10-17-2016 at 02:42 PM.. Reason: typo
# 5  
Old 10-17-2016
What do you want to achieve?
# 6  
Old 10-17-2016
Okay, so for a assignment I was told to write a script that creates a 1GB file filled with zeros using dd and then format the file as vfat with a label of ASSIGN1.

I was able to write the script to make a file called 'myFile' that contained 0's like this
Code:
dd if=/dev/zero of=myFile bs=1M count=1024

And then I also put in a like to format the file as vfat like this:
Code:
mkfs.vfat

I am not sure if I did that correctly and I have no idea how to assign the label. Please help?

Last edited by rbatte1; 10-18-2016 at 06:19 AM.. Reason: Added CODE tags
# 7  
Old 10-17-2016
Yes you can use mkfs.vfat to create a vfat-Filesystem in a file and also to label this filesystem(Of whatever use that maybe). Just have a look at the mkfs.vfat - man-page(man mkfs.vfat) for the options for formatting and labelling.

After that you may use dd again to copy your file directly to a USB-Device. (Take care not to overwrite any of the currently used disks). Smilie
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