PowerTools 4.1 is okay to use with HFS

APS PowerTools 4.1 is not a new version and does not include an option to format a drive using HFS . None-the-less, you can use it, together with the 8.1 Finder, to create an HFS disk and it should work fine. The explanation (which may also apply to certain other disk driver utilities) comes from the APS web site (thanks, Clay Hibbert):

In spite of its inability to initialize in HFS , it is a simple matter (if running under OS 8.1) to use APT 4.1 to setup the drive (create partitions and install the driver via "initialize"), and then quit the application. Once back in the Finder it's simply a matter of highlighting the volume, and selecting "Erase disk" from the "Special" menu. When the erase disk dialog comes up, pull down the selection for "Macintosh xGB" (or xxxMB), and select "Macintosh Enhanced xGB" instead. When it's done you have an HFS volume with APT v4.1's driver in command.