How to use the command f3fix (with examples)

The f3fix command is a tool developed by Digirati in order to edit the partition table of a fake flash drive. It is designed to work in conjunction with other commands like f3probe, f3write, and f3read, which are all part of the f3 suite of tools. The f3fix command can fill a fake flash drive with a single partition matching its real capacity, mark the partition as bootable, and specify the filesystem for the partition.

Use case 1: Fill a fake flash drive with a single partition that matches its real capacity

Code:

sudo f3fix /dev/device_name

Motivation: Using the f3fix command in this way can help in identifying the real capacity of a fake flash drive by filling it with a single partition that matches its reported capacity.

Explanation:

• sudo: The sudo command is used to run f3fix with administrative privileges.
• f3fix: The actual command that is being executed.
• /dev/device_name: The path to the fake flash drive device file.

Example output:

f3fix: f3fix: Info: xGiB device, xMiB (total x bytes) fake device, using xMiB (raw x bytes) real device.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: xMiB free, `xMiB` bytes occupied, `xMiB` bytes erasable.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Signature: `USB`.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: `1` partitions.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: x bytes per physical sector.
f3fix: f3fix: Info:    `1` logical blocks per physical block.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: x bytes per logical sector.
f3fix: f3fix: Info:    `1` partitions.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Detected microSD card.```

Use case 2: Mark the partition as bootable

Code:

sudo f3fix --boot /dev/device_name

Motivation: Marking the partition as bootable can be useful when working with fake flash drives that need to be recognized as bootable by the system.

Explanation:

• --boot: This argument is used to indicate that the partition should be marked as bootable.
• /dev/device_name: The path to the fake flash drive device file.

Example output:

f3fix: f3fix: Info: xGiB device, xMiB (total x bytes) fake device, using xMiB (raw x bytes) real device.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: xMiB free, `xMiB` bytes occupied, `xMiB` bytes erasable.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Signature: `USB`.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: `1` partitions.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: x bytes per physical sector.
f3fix: f3fix: Info:    `1` logical blocks per physical block.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: x bytes per logical sector.
f3fix: f3fix: Info:    `1` partitions.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Detected microSD card.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Partition has been marked as bootable.```

## Use case 3: Specify the filesystem

Code:

```shell
sudo f3fix --fs-type=filesystem_type /dev/device_name

Motivation: Specifying the filesystem can be helpful when the default filesystem type is not desired or when there is a specific filesystem requirement for the partition.

Explanation:

• --fs-type: This argument is used to indicate the desired filesystem type for the partition.
• filesystem_type: The type of filesystem to be used, such as ext4 or ntfs.
• /dev/device_name: The path to the fake flash drive device file.

Example output:

f3fix: f3fix: Info: xGiB device, xMiB (total x bytes) fake device, using xMiB (raw x bytes) real device.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: xMiB free, `xMiB` bytes occupied, `xMiB` bytes erasable.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Signature: `USB`.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: `1` partitions.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: x bytes per physical sector.
f3fix: f3fix: Info:    `1` logical blocks per physical block.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: x bytes per logical sector.
f3fix: f3fix: Info:    `1` partitions.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Detected microSD card.
f3fix: f3fix: Info: Filesystem type set to `ext4`.```

## Conclusion:

In this article, we explored the various use cases of the `f3fix` command. We learned how to fill a fake flash drive with a single partition that matches its real capacity, mark the partition as bootable, and specify the filesystem type for the partition. By understanding these use cases, users can effectively edit the partition table of a fake flash drive and manipulate its properties according to their needs.