--- util-linux-2.12p/floppy/floppyfloppy.c.generic	2001-02-13 01:15:38.000000000 +0100
+++ util-linux-2.12p/floppy/floppyfloppy.c	2005-09-30 15:38:08.000000000 +0200
@@ -264,6 +264,33 @@
 #endif
 }
 
+/* -1=error, 1=true, 0=false */
+static int check_generic(const char *dev, int n)
+{
+	struct floppy_struct param;
+	int fd;
+	
+	if ((fd=open(dev, O_RDONLY)) < 0)
+	{
+		perror(dev);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (ioctl(fd,FDGETPRM,(long) &param) < 0)
+	{
+		perror(dev);
+		close(fd);
+		return -1;
+	}
+	close(fd);
+	
+	if (param.sect==floppy_type[n].sectors && 
+	    param.head==floppy_type[n].heads &&
+	    param.track==floppy_type[n].tracks)
+		/* generic device uses expected format */
+		return 1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
 
 static int do_format(const char *dev, int fmtnum,
 		     int (*fmt_func)(const char *, int), int flags)
@@ -275,6 +302,7 @@
 	struct format_descr curtrack;
 	int pct;
 	struct stat stat_buf;
+	int gen = 0;
 
 	int i, j;
 	char *devname;
@@ -297,23 +325,52 @@
 
 	strcat(strcpy(devname, dev), floppy_type[fmtnum].dev);
 
+	if (stat(devname, &stat_buf)==-1 && errno==ENOENT)
+	{
+		/* /dev/fd0xxxxx doesn't exist ...try to use generic device 
+		 *
+		 * Note: we needn't size specific device if the generic device uses
+		 *       right floppy format (FDGETPRM).    -- Karel Zak [30/09/2005]
+		 */
+		if ((gen = check_generic(dev, fmtnum))==1)	/* true */
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, _("WARNING: size specific device %s doesn't exist, using generic device: %s\n"),
+					devname, dev);
+			strcpy(devname, dev);
+		}
+		else if (gen==0)	/* false */
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, _("ERROR: size specific device %1$s doesn't exist. Use \"MAKEDEV %1$s\" and try it again.\n"), devname);
+			return (1);
+		}
+		else 			/* error -- no floppy medium or device? */
+			return(1);
+	}
 	fd=open(devname, O_WRONLY);
 	if (fd < 0)
 	{
 		perror(devname);
 		return (1);
 	}
-
-	if (fstat(fd, &stat_buf) ||
-	    !S_ISBLK(stat_buf.st_mode) ||
-	    MINOR_DEV(stat_buf.st_rdev) != fmtnum)
+	if (fstat(fd, &stat_buf) < 0)
+	{
+		perror(devname);
+		close(fd);
+		return (1);
+	}
+	if (!S_ISBLK(stat_buf.st_mode))
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,_("%s: not a block device\n"), devname);
+		close(fd);
+		return (1);
+	}
+	if (gen==0 && MINOR_DEV(stat_buf.st_rdev) != fmtnum)
 	{
 		errno=EINVAL;
 		perror(devname);
 		close(fd);
 		return (1);
 	}
-
 	if (ioctl(fd, FDGETPRM, &geo) < 0)
 	{
 		perror(devname);