[Sticky] Big Sur on M1 machines and SoftRAID issues

@softraid-support

It was clean install from the factory that came installed on the new M1 Mac, but I did migrate applications and data from Time Machine, and iCloud and there have been multiple updates and beta installations as well.

@softraid-support

Yes, I had to change the settings on the boot volume in order to install the Rogue Ameaba ACE driver (which took a couple of trys on my part as well as Rogue Ameaba's before that one would work). I have also verified the security settings have not changed on the boot volume since then.

@softraid-support

Here you go!

@softraid-support

New information: I just talked to a neighbor who has essentially the same setup I do, we are both connecting through an OWC Thunderbolt 4 hub to our respective Thunderbay Mini enclosures (his has a TB3 port while mine is an older model with a TB2 port), and he is encountering identical failure to mount issues. I almost hesitate to ask, but is it possible the OWC Thunderbolt 4 hub or our respective Thunderbay mini enclosures could be the source of the problem?

@softraid-support

One, hopefully final correction, I was wrong about my neighbor's enclosure. Both of us have OWC Thunderbay mini enclosures with Thunderbolt 2 connectors and and both of us are using Apple TB3 to TB2 adaptors. 

@softraid-support

I too am having this problem on a new Intel iMac running Big Sur (OS 11.1) and SoftRaid v6.0.1b46.  I cannot get my ThunderRaid to mount. The "disk identifier:" is -. The driver doesn't load. From Terminal, after running "sudo kextload -v 6 /Library/Extensions/SoftRAID.kext" : 

Kext user-space log filter changed from 0xff2 to 0xfff.

Kext kernel-space log filter changed from 0xff2 to 0xfff.

Kext library architecture set to x86_64.

Executing: /usr/bin/kmutil load -p /Library/Extensions/SoftRAID.kext

Error Domain=KMErrorDomain Code=31 "Error occurred while building a collection:

1: One or more binaries has an error which prevented linking.See other errors.

2: Could not use 'com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID' because: Failed to bind '__ZN18IOMemoryDescriptor16setPreparationIDEv' in 'com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID' (at offset 0x2b456 in __TEXT, __text) as could not find a kext which exports this symbol

com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID specific:

1: Failed to bind '__ZN18IOMemoryDescriptor16setPreparationIDEv' in 'com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID' (at offset 0x2b456 in __TEXT, __text) as could not find a kext which exports this symbol

" UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=Error occurred while building a collection:

1: One or more binaries has an error which prevented linking.See other errors.

2: Could not use 'com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID' because: Failed to bind '__ZN18IOMemoryDescriptor16setPreparationIDEv' in 'com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID' (at offset 0x2b456 in __TEXT, __text) as could not find a kext which exports this symbol

com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID specific:

1: Failed to bind '__ZN18IOMemoryDescriptor16setPreparationIDEv' in 'com.softraid.driver.SoftRAID' (at offset 0x2b456 in __TEXT, __text) as could not find a kext which exports this symbol

}

 I have uninstalled and reinstalled the driver, rebooted, etc. I still can't get the RAID to mount.

@mushbuddygoose I migrated from an intel Mac mini that had softraid on it to an M1 Mac mini.  I was getting crashes and lockups.  Ultimately I had to redo the migration to be just the users and data files and no apps or other settings from the intel Mac to the M1 Mac..  Then once the M1 happy version of Softraid came out, I was able to install that and it operated properly.

@adamcatalyst

Something else I need to investigate! thanks!

@joemikeb

Try doing a clean install. Here is how to do it:

run Disk Utility

Create a new volume on/inside your startup volume (not a partition). (instructions available if you don't know how)

Boot into internet recovery and install Big Sur into the volume. I am not sure of the steps on M1, they are somewhat different.

Then try installing SoftRAID. Lets not do anything else on this system until this is fixed .

@pruthe

Got it and will try to figure this out. Give us some time.

@softraid-support

The steps on the M1 are easier than on Intel Macs, from a powered down condition, press and hold the power button until it says the boot options are loading.

I just completed creating a new boot volume and did not migrate any applications or data so it is a clean install, booted back to the Recovery options and disabled the protections, rebooted and installed softRAID 6.0.1 b46, installed the drivers, rebooted, and the array still refuses to mount. 

@joemikeb

On a clean install, that is surprising, not what I saw in testing. Can you attach a SoftRAID Tech support file?

Can confirm that latest beta (b47) fixes M1 Mac kernel panics with RAID 1+0.  Successfully mounted and using Thunderbay 4 TB2 configured RAID 1+0.

@softraid-support

This morning both my regular boot image and my test boot image were showing errors on startup so to be sure everything was clean

1. I erased my test volume
2. Installed a clean copy of MacOS 11.1
3. Downloaded and installed SoftRAID 6.0.1 b47
4. rebooted
5. authorized the Apple??? drivers in System Preferences > Security & Privacy
6. booted the Recovery Drive and permitted 3d party extensions on the test volume and rebooted
7. permitted the softRAID drivers in System Preferences > Security & Privacy and the extension cache was rebuilt
8. rebooted
9. received a System Extension Error saying the system extensions need to be rebuilt
10. System Preferences > Security & Privacy indicates "System Software from Other World Computing has been updated — Allow"
11. Clicking on Allow results in a reboot which got back to step 9 in an apparent endless loop.

In the meantime SoftRAID correct displays the array configuration but will not mount it.

The same loop is now occurring in the regular boot volume running MacOS 11.2 beta. 

Do me a favor and try b43 and report back.

https://softraid.com/updates/SoftRAID%206.0.1%20b43.dmg