How to read HFS+ on Windows 7, without Boot Camp

I was asked the question from time to time : how to read a HFS+ formatted disk on Windows. The basic answer is quite simple: just by installing Boot Camp. Indeed, Apple provides a pilot to read the HFS+ for Snow Leopard.

But when Windows is not installed on the Mac, or just not to install the whole Boot Camp , here’s a solution.

Simply download the Apple drivers (which I extracted from Boot Camp 4.0 , currently available with the Lion 10.7.1 version) and install two files.

First, go to the directory corresponding to your version of Windows 7 (32 or 64 bits) and then copy AppleHFS.sys and AppleMNT.sys in c:\Windows\System32\Drivers\ . The system may ask you to identify yourself.

Then simply run the file AddAppleHFS.reg that will add the corresponding values in the registry base.

Once that is done, a reboot should allow to read HFS+ formatted volumes. Warning, the driver does not enable you to write.