data partition configuration

My concern or challenge while not beyond scope forum team members is probably beyond scope of forum specifics, but here goes.
I have installed on sda4 a partition labeled /media/storage with obvious purpose of saving data.
My short suit and I mean really short is terminal commands, so with me (3 years away from 80) it is hit and miss.
I have tried /sbin/mkfs.est3 /devsda4 / as well as mount -t ext3 /dev/sda4 /media/storage as well as ton of others.
Could someone point me to a doc, tutorial whatever with the sequential terminal commands.
I ask after countless goggling to no avail.
Thanks for you time
allen