[Guide] Avoid APFS conversion on High Sierra update or fresh install

[RehabMan]

Thanks, my mistake!! APFS only automate convert with SSD, I only have a HDD, so just simple choose Mac journaled extended, not APFS :d

Correct. The macOS installer will not convert HFS+J to APFS on HDD.

 

[fredson_sax]

Hello guys! I could not use any of these methods, I'm still a beginner I have difficulties with Hackintosh, but I was able to install High Sierra on HFS on my SSD as follows: I installed High Sierra on an HD, backup on Time Machine and restored this backup on the SSD, ready! I'm with High Sierra running on HFS on SSD.

 

[maclover95]

so I am doing fresh install of 10.13.5 and trying to escape the APFS but I dont understand the path I use simple stock usb no custom paths so can you please for the love of god give an example how the path look written in terminal thx
NO extra writing just normal path so I can get the idea this extra writing is confusing !

# list /Volumes to remind yourself of the name you gave it
ls -l /Volumes
# then change your working directory to it (in my case, I used '1013')
cd /Volumes/1013
# now change to the "macOS Install Data" directory
cd "macOS Install Data"
# now fix the minstallconfig.xml with PlistBuddy
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :ConvertToAPFS false" minstallconfig.xml
also do I type the hashtag as well ``

 

[Feartech]

so I am doing fresh install of 10.13.5 and trying to escape the APFS but I dont understand the path I use simple stock usb no custom paths so can you please for the love of god give an example how the path look written in terminal thx
NO extra writing just normal path so I can get the idea this extra writing is confusing !

# list /Volumes to remind yourself of the name you gave it
ls -l /Volumes
# then change your working directory to it (in my case, I used '1013')
cd /Volumes/1013
# now change to the "macOS Install Data" directory
cd "macOS Install Data"
# now fix the minstallconfig.xml with PlistBuddy
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :ConvertToAPFS false" minstallconfig.xml
also do I type the hashtag as well ``

you don't type any other the lines with a # tag, they are there to let you know what you are doing

 

[RehabMan]

so I am doing fresh install of 10.13.5 and trying to escape the APFS but I dont understand the path I use simple stock usb no custom paths so can you please for the love of god give an example how the path look written in terminal thx
NO extra writing just normal path so I can get the idea this extra writing is confusing !

# list /Volumes to remind yourself of the name you gave it
ls -l /Volumes
# then change your working directory to it (in my case, I used '1013')
cd /Volumes/1013
# now change to the "macOS Install Data" directory
cd "macOS Install Data"
# now fix the minstallconfig.xml with PlistBuddy
/usr/libexec/PlistBuddy -c "Set :ConvertToAPFS false" minstallconfig.xml
also do I type the hashtag as well ``

Read post #1.

 

[maclover95]

you don't type any other the lines with a # tag, they are there to let you know what you are doing

thx that worked like charm.

 

[Sniki]

has someone discovered a way on how to update to macOS Mojave PB2 without APFS Conversion ?
tried to use the noapfsconversion but it seems it's not available on the Mojave Installer.

 

[RehabMan]

has someone discovered a way on how to update to macOS Mojave PB2 without APFS Conversion ?
tried to use the noapfsconversion but it seems it's not available on the Mojave Installer.

The options formerly available for High Sierra are not available in Mojave (requires patching the Mojave installer, which is contrary to the rules around here).

Using CCC to clone back to HFS+J would probably work.

 

[Gigamaxx]

has someone discovered a way on how to update to macOS Mojave PB2 without APFS Conversion ?
tried to use the noapfsconversion but it seems it's not available on the Mojave Installer.

Heres a link to a converter. I haven't tested but if you update and get apfs you may use this to convert back to HFS+J. 334796-apfs-to-hfs-converter

Also, if you update or install using a USB to Sata convertor or external USB drive it stays in HFS mode. That may be an issue with NVME though.

 

[Sniki]

Heres a link to a converter. I haven't tested but if you update and get apfs you may use this to convert back to HFS+J. 334796-apfs-to-hfs-converter

Also, if you update or install using a USB to Sata convertor or external USB drive it stays in HFS mode. That may be an issue with NVME though.

Thanks for the information, to be honest i would prefer to stay on APFS but i have very bad experience with APFS on my Kingston V300 Now 120GB SSD.
The partitions have been corrupted 3x times so far that caused me some data loss and waste of 3 day progress on trying to fix some issues on my device (which caused me a clean install and doing the work and all the fixes & new SSDTs & new config.plist) for it.

So that's why im afraid to stay on with APFS on this SSD, it seems they don't go well with each other.