---
name: "hfs.util"
section: "8"
platform: "macos"
package: "hfs"
version: "715.120.4"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/hfs.util"
---

# hfs.util(8)

HFS+ file system utility

## NAME

**hfs.util** – HFS+ file system utility

## SYNOPSIS

**hfs.util** **-m** *device* *mountpoint* \[*mountflag1*\] \[*mountflag2*\] \[*mountflag3*\] \[*mountflag4*\]

**hfs.util** **-p** *device* \[*mountflag1*\] \[*mountflag2*\] \[*mountflag3*\] \[*mountflag4*\]

**hfs.util** **-J** \[*size*\] *mountpoint*

**hfs.util** **-U** *mountpoint*

**hfs.util** **-N** *device*

**hfs.util** **-I** *mountpoint*

**hfs.util** \[**-aksu**\] *device*

## DESCRIPTION

The **hfs.util** command supports the mounting, probing, and unmounting of HFS+ file systems.

Options:

- **-a**

  Adopt permissions for the HFS file system at *device*

- **-I**

  Print out status information about the journal on the HFS  file system at *mountpoint*

- **-J** \[*size*\]

  Enable journaling on the HFS file system mounted on *mountpoint*. An optional size may be specified (e.g. 32M for a 32 megabyte journal).

- **-k**

  Get the UUID key for the HFS file system at *device*.

- **-m**

  Mount the HFS file system located on *device* onto *mountpoint* with the flags *mountflag1* *mountflag2* *mountflag3* *mountflag4*

- **-M**

  Force mount the HFS file system located on *device* onto *mountpoint* with the flags *mountflag1* *mountflag2* *mountflag3* *mountflag4*. This is a deprecated option.

- **-N**

  Disable journaling on a HFS+ file system located at  *device*

- **-p**

  Probe the *device* for an HFS file system using the flags *mountflag1* *mountflag2* *mountflag3* *mountflag4*

- **-s**

  Set the UUID key (generates a new UUID value) for the HFS file system at *device*

- **-u**

  Unmount the HFS file system located at *device*

- **-U**

  Disable journaling on the HFS+ file system mounted on *mountpoint*

The *mountflags* referenced above are either:

- *removable* or *fixed*

- *readonly* or *writeable*

- *suid* or *nosuid*

- *dev* or *nodev*

Note that for the  *device* references above, you must only supply the last component of the path to the  device in question, such as disk0s2 rather than /dev/disk0s2.

## SEE ALSO

[diskarbitrationd(8)](/diskarbitrationd/8.md)

## HISTORY

Derived from the Openstep Workspace Manager file system utility programs.