Anybody tried APFS for Windows by Paragon?

[hajime]

Hi, I am looking for software that allows me to read/write Mac files in Windows. Has anybody tried APFS for Windows by Paragon? Any other better software?

 

[arw]

It might not be representative, but my Windows 10 system that was stable for 5 years crashed for the first time ever after installing Paragon APFS and accessing a USB APFS drive.
So at the very least, make sure you have a proper backup before trying such invasive software.

 

[hajime]

Thanks for the warning.

 

[Shirasaki]

APFS read write is still experimental, which is mentioned on paragon product page. You use it at your own risk. As of now, use HFS+ for any macOS external storage until much later Or apple cuts off HFS+ support.

 

[arw]

That would explain it but they sell it as "Stable Operation, Data Safety and Guaranteed Performance" link.
Didn‘t find anything about it being experimental.

However, my intention was not at all to advise against trying this software but rather to emphasize a backup just in case. It simply could have been an unlucky combination, unique to my setup.

 

[hajime]

APFS read write is still experimental, which is mentioned on paragon product page. You use it at your own risk. As of now, use HFS+ for any macOS external storage until much later Or apple cuts off HFS+ support.

I have an external drive formatted as APFS under Venture. In this case, can I still use the free HFS+ version to read/write the files?

 

[arw]

I have an external drive formatted as APFS under Venture. In this case, can I still use the free HFS+ version to read/write the files?

No. Not without re-formatting it first. But then exFAT would be the better choice as it doesn’t require any additional software at all. I only use NTFS (on the Mac via Tuxera) so I do not know how robust exFAT is on the long run.

Spoiler: FAQ

What versions of the HFS file system are supported?

HFS+ for Windows by Paragon Software supports HFS+ (Mac OS Extended), JHFS+ (Journaled Mac OS Extended), HFSX (Case-sensitive Mac OS Extended), and JHFSX (Case-sensitive, Journaled Mac OS Extended).

Is APFS supported?

If you need to read files from APFS volumes, download APFS for Windows by Paragon Software.

 

[maflynn]

APFS for Windows by Paragon? Any other better software?

Paragon HFS+ vs. MacDrive: Which and why?

I've had issues with with Paragon and MacDrive to the point my system was not stable. If you want to share data across two platforms, i.e., windows and Mac, then use an external drive or a file server.

 

[Shirasaki]

Paragon HFS+ vs. MacDrive: Which and why?

I've had issues with with Paragon and MacDrive to the point my system was not stable. If you want to share data across two platforms, i.e., windows and Mac, then use an external drive or a file server.

Trouble is, exFAT doesn‘t have the reliability, and both NTFS and HFS+/APFS are proprietary. There really is no cheap option to share files between Mac and Windows. Those third-party drivers are probably the cheapest option available, even though I can feel they are not really that reliable as they otherwise claim.

 

[Shirasaki]

That would explain it but they sell it as "Stable Operation, Data Safety and Guaranteed Performance" link.
Didn‘t find anything about it being experimental.

However, my intention was not at all to advise against trying this software but rather to emphasize a backup just in case. It simply could have been an unlucky combination, unique to my setup.

Maybe I misremember the location, but Paragon mentioned the APFS r/w support being experimental somewhere. Probably buried in license agreement or sth. Obviously, from marketing perspective, they don’t want to market an experimental product to general public aren’t they?

 

[maflynn]

Trouble is, exFAT doesn‘t have the reliability, and both NTFS and HFS+/APFS are proprietary.

No question. If it’s a one off situation a thumb drive is fine but if you’re sharing data across platforms then a NAS is the best approach IMO

 

[Shirasaki]

No question. If it’s a one off situation a thumb drive is fine but if you’re sharing data across platforms then a NAS is the best approach IMO

NAS isn’t really portable however, and cost is a consideration as well. NAS may as well be the best solution for cross-platform sharing, but ultimately it is up to individual to weigh the benefit against its drawbacks.

 

[disorderattempt]

Hi, I am looking for software that allows me to read/write Mac files in Windows. Has anybody tried APFS for Windows by Paragon? Any other better software?

i am in the midst of this disaster. blue screens and dead partitions...
sometimes the Win10pro gets blue screen after the APFS thunderbolt 3 drive is plugged in. and the worst part is that GPT partition scheme gets corrupted and the files on the drive become unaccessible.
already transferring 2TB data for the 3'rd time...

DO NOT USE PARAGON APFS UNLESS YOU HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE!

 

[disorderattempt]

p.s. that all is a part of NAS recovery ))) the NAS is Linux ext4 and worked almost flawlessly for over a decade sharing data btw mac, win, androids and iphones despite so many power outages. its time has come. luckily HDD is safe and data is intact.

 

[jblongz]

I still can't trust APFS for Windows, but NTFS for Mac has been solid and offers spotlight indexing. If NTFS is not an option, considerin HFS+ Windows as a last resort.