How to format an NVMe drive

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The following are concise instructions on how to format NVMe drives in Linux.

First, identify the format required:

nvme id-ns /dev/nvme1n1 | grep LBA
LBA Format  0 : Metadata Size: 0   bytes - Data Size: 512 bytes - Relative Performance: 0x1 Better 

LBA Format  1 : Metadata Size: 8   bytes - Data Size: 512 bytes - Relative Performance: 0x3 Degraded 

LBA Format  2 : Metadata Size: 0   bytes - Data Size: 4096 bytes - Relative Performance: 0 Best  (in use)

LBA Format  3 : Metadata Size: 8   bytes - Data Size: 4096 bytes - Relative Performance: 0x2 Good

Explanation

• Each format has an id: 0, 1, 2, 3 in this example.
• There are two data sector sizes - 512 bytes and 4K. Typically the 4K formats provide the best performance and endurance.
• Metadata - some drives provide the capability to add a few bytes for additional metadata for each sector. This is typically used for T10/DIF CRC.

Format

nvme format /dev/nvme1n1 -l 0

where l represents the LBA format id as listed in nvme id-ns.

Identify NVMe Drive Attribute

[root@moon 14:27:11 john]# nvme id-ns -H /dev/nvme1n1

NVME Identify Namespace 1:

nsze    : 0xba4d9d6

ncap    : 0xba4d9d6

nuse    : 0xba4d9d6

nsfeat  : 0

  [2:2] : 0 Deallocated or Unwritten Logical Block error Not Supported

  [1:1] : 0 Namespace uses AWUN, AWUPF, and ACWU

  [0:0] : 0 Thin Provisioning Not Supported

nlbaf   : 3

flbas   : 0x3

  [4:4] : 0 Metadata Transferred in Separate Contiguous Buffer

  [3:0] : 0x3 Current LBA Format Selected

mc      : 0x3

  [1:1] : 0x1 Metadata Pointer Supported

  [0:0] : 0x1 Metadata as Part of Extended Data LBA Supported

dpc     : 0x1f

  [4:4] : 0x1 Protection Information Transferred as Last 8 Bytes of Metadata Supported

  [3:3] : 0x1 Protection Information Transferred as First 8 Bytes of Metadata Supported

  [2:2] : 0x1 Protection Information Type 3 Supported

  [1:1] : 0x1 Protection Information Type 2 Supported

  [0:0] : 0x1 Protection Information Type 1 Supported

dps     : 0

  [3:3] : 0 Protection Information is Transferred as Last 8 Bytes of Metadata

  [2:0] : 0 Protection Information Disabled

nmic    : 0x1

  [0:0] : 0x1 Namespace Multipath Capable

rescap  : 0x7f

  [6:6] : 0x1 Exclusive Access - All Registrants Supported

  [5:5] : 0x1 Write Exclusive - All Registrants Supported

  [4:4] : 0x1 Exclusive Access - Registrants Only Supported

  [3:3] : 0x1 Write Exclusive - Registrants Only Supported

  [2:2] : 0x1 Exclusive Access Supported

  [1:1] : 0x1 Write Exclusive Supported

  [0:0] : 0x1 Persist Through Power Loss Supported

fpi     : 0x80

  [7:7] : 0x1 Format Progress Indicator Supported

  [6:0] : 0 Format Progress Indicator (Remaining 0%)

dlfeat  : 0

  [4:4] : 0 Guard Field of Deallocated Logical Blocks is set to 0xFFFF

  [3:3] : 0 Deallocate Bit in the Write Zeroes Commmand is Not Supported

  [2:0] : 0 Bytes Read From a Deallocated Logical Block and its Metadata are Not Reported

nawun   : 0

nawupf  : 0

nacwu   : 0

nabsn   : 0

nabo    : 0

nabspf  : 0

noiob   : 0

nvmcap  : 800166076416

nvmsetid: 0

endgid  : 0

nguid   : 334843304bd021179843285800000004

eui64   : 023438ec7dbc1f9d

LBA Format  0 : Metadata Size: 0   bytes - Data Size: 512 bytes - Relative Performance: 0x1 Better 

LBA Format  1 : Metadata Size: 8   bytes - Data Size: 512 bytes - Relative Performance: 0x3 Degraded 

LBA Format  2 : Metadata Size: 0   bytes - Data Size: 4096 bytes - Relative Performance: 0 Best  (in use)

LBA Format  3 : Metadata Size: 8   bytes - Data Size: 4096 bytes - Relative Performance: 0x2 Good