Postingpall! The HFS and HFS+ file systems are generally related to macOS. Obviously, to read and write to an HFS/HFS+ formatted drive, users will require a Mac device. To use HFS/HFS+ on Windows, users will require third-party file explorers. But what if users lost data from an HFS or HFS+ formatted drive, and don’t have access to a macOS computer? Well, HFS recovery is entirely possible on Windows. Read on to find out how.
Overview of HFS File System and How It Differs from HFS+
HFS stands for Hierarchical file system, and its proprietary file system format was developed by Apple for use on computers running macOS. The format is fairly old, as it was an unrestricted technique back in 1985. It was presented as an extra to the MFS.
The main cause behind the development of the HFS file system was that MFS was designed for use in small-size media, like floppy disks. HFS successfully fixed a few of the presentation problems that arose with the use of MFS in large media storage devices like hard disk drives.
Fundamentally, the HFS+ file system supports data to be stored more efficiently on large disks The HFS+ file system can also be used on other storage media like compact disks, unlike its predecessor, the HFS file system.
The HFS+ file system is the successor to the HFS file system. It is also called the HFS Extended file system.
When related to the HFS file system, HFS Plus allows numerous perfections. This comprises support for 32-bit length block addresses, filename support of up to 255 characters in length, and a 32-bit allocation mapping table, rather than HFS’ 16-bit one.
How to Use an HFS+ Partition on Windows
Windows cannot read or write to an HFS/HFS+ formatted storage device with the help of the third-party tool. Even then, functionality is quite limited. There are no free applications that will allow users to write data to an HFS/HFS+ drive on Windows.
How to Restore HFS+ Partition with Reliable Solution
In order to restore data from any HFS/HFS+ drive on Windows, Users will have to use a third-party Hard drive file recovery application. However, each and every tool does not support HFS recovery. But few tools effectively restore data from the HFS partition on Windows.
SysTools is one of the best tools that support data recovery from an HFS or HFS+ drive on Windows. Users can also use the software to restore data from RAW partitions. It comes with a simple GUI that is welcoming and a perfect match for non-technical users and technical users alike. This top-notch tool also supports the restoration of all types of raw files. This tool also provides a free demo version to preview your data. In the demo version users can check the working efficiency of the utility after that they decide to buy the utility. In the upcoming section, we will see how easy it is to recover data from this utility.
- Download and install the software on your Windows PC
- After that, the tool provides Scan and formatted Scan option for data recovery
- Now the tool will preview all restored data in the software panel
- Finally, hit on save button to save the files
What is the Reason that Cause Data Loss from A HFS or HFS+ Partition?
- Get an updated virus software
- Continuously follow the correct system shut down command
- Avoid deleting computer files readily
- Always check your hard drive health
- Eject your hard drive safely
- An improper format of the file computer
- Human errors resulting in partitions loss
- Removal of Boot Camp partition
Final Verdict
Apart from the HFS+ partition, Apple has come up with a newer APFS file system. Though this offers well storage management and safety in its volume, it can still be affected by data loss. One technique to stop data loss on Mac is by using a backup of your important data. This way, users will be ready to face any data loss issue. Though, if users haven’t taken any data backup, use the SoftwarePro hard disk data recovery software and follow the steps explained in the post to recover the HFS+ partition.
