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[Sticky] Problem updating SoftRAID driver with new iMac Pro

SoftRAID Support · 2017-12-29T18:43:53Z

The new iMac Pro has an issue that causes the SoftRAID driver to require updating every restart. Note: This issue is resolved in 10.13.6! A version of the SoftRAID driver is included with every OS X installation, so any user can connect any SoftRAID disks to any Mac and the volumes will mount. The macOS bundled version of SoftRAID has minimal features, and just enables mounting of volumes. This has been the case since 10.3.x. We issue a new driver version to Apple for each OSX upgrade to maintain this compatibility. When a user installs SoftRAID, the current drivers are installed and loaded at startup, and all SotRAID driver features are available. The new "Enhanced Security" feature in the iMac Pro interferes with this process. The iMac Pro will always load the bundled 5.6.2 driver if any SoftRAID disks are connected at startup. Note: When the SoftRAID 5.6.2 driver loads, write performance will be slower and there will be no user notifications of errors. Here is what causes the problem: The iMac Pro added technology that supports "enhanced security". The goal is to prevent kernel or CPU level hacks like the intel "Meltdown" and "Spectre" vulnerabilities from being installed in core extensions at boot time. As part of these new security enhancements, a set of "immutable kernel extensions" are stored on the machine and are loaded at startup. (These are "known good/tested extensions.) Since the SoftRAID driver is bundled with OS X, the (5.6.2) version we supply Apple is included as one of these immutable drivers. Whenever a SoftRAID formatted disk is connected at boot time, the "immutable" SoftRAID 5.6.2 driver gets loaded, instead of the updated version installed in the System folder. Apple has informed us that they do not intend to fix this problem. We are discussing options with our Apple contacts. There are two workarounds to this issue 1) Disconnect your external drives, and wait until the Mac is started up before connecting them. 2) Change the "Enhanced Security" to none. Details: 1) How to install the current SoftRAID driver (while keeping the "Enhanced Security" setting on the iMac Pro): To install the latest SoftRAID driver: Download the current version of SoftRAID for your setup. Unmount your SoftRAID volumes, wait a few seconds. Unplug the cable to the enclosure(s) Restart Run SoftRAID Update the SoftRAID driver. Restart. Now connect your disks and the SoftRAID 5.6.5 driver will load. Ongoing: Before you Restart/Shutdown, unmount your volumes, disconnect your cable to your enclosure. After the machine starts up, you can plug in your enclosure again. If you ever accidentally leave your disks connected at startup, unmount your SoftRAID volumes, disconnect the cables and restart. then reconnect the cable after the system has booted to the desktop. 2) Change the "Enhanced Security" setting to "No Security". There is a new System Preference for the iMac Pro, called System Security. By default is set to "Full Security". If you set this to "No Security" then SoftRAID will load the correct driver at startup. (Note: This does not make your Macintosh more vulnerable than any other Macintosh, it only disables the "Enhanced" security measures currently only available on the iMac Pro.) We have detailed instructions posted here:Note: March 13, 2018 - We have discovered that the macOS "10.13.3 Supplemental upgrade" has a bug where it cannot install when an iMac Pro has the Enhanced Security set to "Medium Security" or "No Security". The solution is to reset Enhanced Security to "Full", install the supplemental upgrade, then go back to no "Enhanced Security". When we have a permanent solution to this problem, we will post it here.

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SoftRAID Support

(@softraid-support)

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The good news is a test with 10.14 (Mohave) shows that this bug should be fixed.

It is possible it could be fixed in 10.13.6, when released, also, but we do not know yet.

We have had preliminary tests that show it working correctly with the beta 1 release, however!

Posted : 08/06/2018 12:14 am

phatblat

(@phatblat)

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The good news is a test with 10.14 (Mohave) shows that this bug should be fixed.

It is possible it could be fixed in 10.13.6, when released, also, but we do not know yet.

We have had preliminary tests that show it working correctly with the beta 1 release, however!

I can confirm that this issue is resolved in both macOS Mojave 10.14 beta 2 (18A314h) and macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 beta 4 (17G54a).

Posted : 30/06/2018 10:02 pm

SoftRAID Support

(@softraid-support)

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Yes. We are awaiting formal confirmation that this change will be shipping in both releases.

We may need to let users confirm in the meantime. ;-)

thanks!

Posted : 30/06/2018 11:07 pm

mustgroove

(@mustgroove)

Posts: 26

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Can confirm this is fixed on my machine with the final release of 10.13.6 that came out today (build 17G65) - booting with Secure Boot set to Medium Security with my SoftRAID volume connected now works without issue.

Posted : 09/07/2018 6:58 pm

SoftRAID Support

(@softraid-support)

Posts: 9200

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Thank you!

I will prepare an announcement for users.

Posted : 09/07/2018 9:00 pm

mattbeardsley

(@mattbeardsley)

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Thank you for the troubleshooting tips! I'll give 10.13.6 a try and am hoping it gets my iMac Pro-based edit suite fully functional again! I've had constant headaches with Mac since High Sierra, and this crippling incompatibility with RAID is the worst!

Posted : 10/07/2018 2:12 am

superlum

(@superlum)

Posts: 1

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Thank you for the troubleshooting tips! I'll give 10.13.6 a try and am hoping it gets my iMac Pro-based edit suite fully functional again! I've had constant headaches with Mac since High Sierra, and this crippling incompatibility with RAID is the worst!

I have not run into any issues so far with 10.13.6 on my iMac Pro. Running SoftRaid before was not fun and hard to get work done but now it's great.

Posted : 08/08/2018 10:45 pm

SoftRAID Support

(@softraid-support)

Posts: 9200

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Topic starter

There are no more issues with the iMac Pro.

We will have a new SoftRAID version out for Mohave, and testing on the iMac is flawless so far.

Thanks for your feedback

Posted : 09/08/2018 1:13 am

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