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What determines whether a drive can be converted to APFS? (right click the disk and the option will be greyed out if not available). Converting to APFS are that your drives should be HFS so that you can perform non-destructive operations to convert to APFS.But to convert to APFS you have to select the volume you want to convert.

JHFS+ is the file system, which will convert it to APFS. New will be the name of the disk after the format – choose anything you like. 0b is the partition size (0 is a zero). We can use anything, normally specified in Mb or Gb to make a partition, up to the size available. I have an external SSD with High Sierra formatted to HFS-journaled made by cloning (using CCC) my internal SSD with High Sierra and APFS. I was told that if I booted up from the external SSD in recovery mode I could use Disk Utilities to convert to APFS. However that option is greyed out.

Learning has never been so easy!

Apple has changed its File system (APFS) but this might help MacAdmins who still want to use HFS or skip firmware upgrade. I am new to Mac world and took me 2 days to figure this out. Hopefully it can save you some time

5 Steps total

Apfs

Step 1: Install AutoDMG

Download latest AutoDMG from https://github.com/MagerValp/AutoDMG/releases and copy it to “Applications” on the server.

Step 2: Download Installer

Download the MacOS High Sierra installer from the App Store and move it
to 'Applications'

Step 3: Create AutoDMG template file named 'MySite.adtmpl' with the following contents and save it in 'Applications'


TemplateFormat
1.0
SourcePath
/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app
OutputPath
/Users/Shared/BaseImage-%OSVERSION%-%OSBUILD%.hfs.dmg
VolumeName
Macintosh HD
Filesystem
hfs
ApplyUpdates
;

Step 4: Open the Terminal application, found in 'Utilities' and run the following commands

/Applications/AutoDMG-1.8/AutoDMG.app/Contents/MacOS/AutoDMG update

/Applications/AutoDMG-1.8/AutoDMG.app/Contents/MacOS/AutoDMG download 10.13.1 17B48

/Applications/AutoDMG-1.8/AutoDMG.app/Contents/MacOS/AutoDMG build --download-updates --installer /Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app /Applications/MySite.adtmpl

Step 5: Locate final DMG file

Find the newly created image “BaseImage-10.13-17A405.hfs.dmg” at /Users/Shared/ path

Please change as per your needs and requirements.

References

  • MagerValp Wiki

12 Comments

  • Datil
    David_CSG Nov 14, 2017 at 06:37am

    Please correct your article: APFS is *not* a “firmware” update ! It is a new filesystem.

    https://www.macworld.com/article/3230498/storage/apple-file-system-apfs-faq.html

  • Poblano
    Avtar.Singh Nov 14, 2017 at 07:32am

    Thanks for the commment David,
    I have already mentioned APFS as file system in first line. To have a working machine with APFS as file system, firmware upgrade is required. It's already in installer-high sierra. It can be extracted from an installed too if need as a package.
    http://www.amsys.co.uk/2017/09/deploying-firmware-updates-imaging/

  • Pimiento
    chnacat Mar 8, 2018 at 02:08pm

    i'm sorry for being dumb, but i cannot figure out how to do this. the option to create a new template is grayed out, i can only open a template. should i create a text file and save it w/ that extension? or is there something i'm missing? any help is GREATLY appreciated.

  • Thai Pepper
    kevinmcox Mar 8, 2018 at 02:47pm

    The option to create a HFS+ image with AutoDMG is available from the Advanced Options dialog under the Window menu. Just select HFS+J from the dropdown, no need to use Terminal or a template.

  • Poblano
    Avtar.Singh Mar 8, 2018 at 09:58pm

    Hi Chnacat,

    Please create a new file and save it with name MySite.adtmpl as mentioned in step 3 and copy contents in it and edit where required. Or you can use the option mentioned by Kevinmcox in comment above.

    Thanks

  • Thai Pepper
    kevinmcox Mar 17, 2018 at 03:48pm

    From the developer, Per Olofsson, himself:

    'There's no reason to use the command line or a template for this
    All you need to do is:
    1) Download the latest High Sierra installer from the App Store
    2) Launch AutoDMG
    3) Open Window -> Advanced Options, and select `HFS+J`
    4) Drag & drop the High Sierra installer on AutoDMG
    5) Click build
    (You might need to click Download if updates haven't been cached yet)'

    If you need help using AutoDMG I'd suggest joining the #autodmg channel in the MacAdmins Slack where Olofsson and other folks willing to help hang out.

  • Pimiento
    chris.campbell Jun 13, 2018 at 05:22pm

    @kevinmcox what is the default login once a machine is imaged using this DMG?

  • Datil
    David_CSG Jun 13, 2018 at 07:19pm

    chriscampbell19 wrote:
    'kevinmcox what is the default login once a machine is imaged using this DMG?'

    There isn't one. That process does not set up any user account, just like a fresh out-of-the-box setup of any OS.
    If you want to create a user, add a package created by Greg Neagle's pycreateuserpkg
    https://github.com/gregneagle/pycreateuserpkg

    Do NOT use the now abandoned 'createuserpkg' software.

  • Pimiento
    chris.campbell Jun 13, 2018 at 09:55pm

    Could I just use http://magervalp.github.io/CreateUserPkg/

    and include the PKG when building the DMG?

    Thanks,

    Chris

  • Poblano
    Avtar.Singh Jun 13, 2018 at 10:55pm

    Hi chriscampbell19,
    As David said, Its will be a OOB setup.
    I use Deploystudio workflow in my school to create Initial Admin User and then I bind it to AD. I use Scripts, Modified Packages for making assigned AD user as Admin too, register to Meraki, install papercut, install printers, Create modified Dock and shortcuts, Install Munki and other softwares like office 365, Autodesk apps , Adobe apps , chrome, firefox, textwrangler, java, vlc........etc..etc
    Here is what i use:-
    DeployStudio, AUTO DMG Packages, AutoPkgr, SuspiciousPackage, Munki, Munki Admin, Managed Software Center.

    Happy Deploying :-)

  • Pimiento
    chris.campbell Jun 13, 2018 at 11:20pm

    Thanks Avtar.Singh

    We are still wanting to use Deploy Studio as well and don't plan on converting from HFS+ to APFS on our current systems; just yet. We are using JAMF internally to manage packages, updates, scripts, configuration profiles, etc. but don't have DEP/JAMF tie-in setup just yet. Our goal down the road is to have JAMF/DEP setup so that when we renew our 3-year lease with Apple all of our new 400+ iMac's automatically get registered and once plugged into the network a configuration profile is installed on each machine with connection directly to our JAMF server. We are currently in the testing phase of pushing out High Sierra over the summer. Thanks for all the info on the products you are using for management.

  • Poblano
    Avtar.Singh Jun 13, 2018 at 11:51pm

    Hi Again,

    Being an apple Distinguished School, We have over 1500+ School owned devices which include iMac's, Air's, Pro's and Ipad's excluding 100+ apple Tv's. Plus 600 BYOD's (ipads). School owned devices (serials) are added to CISCO Meraki DEP and Apple enrollment program when we purchase them.

    Apps and settings are pushed to all IPads (school owned and BYOD) using Meraki.

    Free DepoyStudio Workflow setup which i mentioned in my previous comment is used to deploy HFS+ high Sierra (10.13.4) to iMac's, Air's, Pro's.

    I had a look at JAMF, its cost was very high as compared to the mixed setup we use here until Apple decides to stop network boot or for any other excuse they can come up with. Only thing we pay for is Meraki License and 2 Mac Mini's ( max RAM and Fast Disk) and Deploy Studio Sync between 2 Mac Mini's as a failsafe because Apple decided not to build dedicated Servers anymore.

    Note:- If you are looking in to DS then we have 4 workflows in DeployStudio: For Staff, for Students, For Loan Device, For OOB. Each workflow install specific apps and packages for staff and students. OOB doesn't have any apps in it. Munki/ Managed Software center for Mac is like WSUS server for Windows

    Thanks,

Apfs

I Just upgraded both my MacBook Pro and my iMac to High Sierra and I noticed that my MacBook was automatically converted to APFS while my iMac was not. When I try to convert my iMac's HDD by booting into recovery and going into Disk Utility, the option to 'convert to APFS' is greyed out. After doing a little research, I believe that is because it is APFS is only compatible with Solid State Drives. Does apple plan to make APFS compatible with traditional HDDs in the future, or am I doomed to continue using my drive with its current HFS+ format?


Convert Hfs To Apfs

iMac, macOS High Sierra (10.13)