VMS Help EXCHANGE, INITIALIZE, Description  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

    The EXCHANGE command INITIALIZE erases all files from a volume.
    After initialization, the volume directory contains no files.
    DOS-11 magnetic tapes and RT-11 block-addressable devices can be
    initialized.

    The device must be mounted with the /FOREIGN qualifier.