• barks
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Topic: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

Hi All.

I cannot for the life of me get my original FF800 back up running after a routine OSx High Sierra update today.
It was working fine on the previous High Sierra this morning.

The Mac reported that the "current drivers do not work in 32 bit mode and need to be updated".

So I installed driver_fw_mac_333 package and no luck.

New TotalMix  (original Fireface Mixer programm now disappeared) can load from Applications but the FF800 still displays its red (not connected ) Host Light.
Fireface settings also will not open.

Neither auto-boot (as normal) when the FF800 is switched on manually

The latest firmware update -277 - also says it cannot find drivers.

Is there an overall uninstall that can be done and then fresh install - if this is causing conflict?

Please Help.

Specs:
OS High Sierra 10.13.4 (as of today)
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)
Processor 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory 8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3

thanks

Barks

  • barks
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

I have also just checked the Security App in Setting an it stated that:

System software from developer "RME GmbH" was blocked from loading

I click the allow button next to it but it will not clear the message and still the app will not load.

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

Restart, run the driver installer again, restart once more, then click the Allow button.

If it still does not work, then clean up all driver files listed here:
https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=9233

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • barks
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

Jeff wrote:

Restart, run the driver installer again, restart once more, then click the Allow button.

If it still does not work, then clean up all driver files listed here:
https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=9233


Many thanks - will do this now.

Barks

  • barks
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

Still will not work!

I cleared the machine as recommended, including all the Libraries.
Reinstalled latest drivers (333 package) - which seemed to write really quickly...hmm
restarted
clicked on allow in Security ( but warning message does not clear)

There is a Fireface Settings, Fireface Mixer (which has no disappeared!) and Total Mix app in applications.

None will run.

Also tried to see if it was now a firmware issue, and tried to run the latest firmware package Fireface Flash 277.
This reports back that no Fireface Driver or Device installed.

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

Does Mac OS Applications/Utilities/System Information app see the device at all?

What exactly is the FireWire chain, any adapters, extenders, etc?

Tried any other FW ports on the FF800? Different FW cable?

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

7 Reply by barks (edited by barks 2018-04-25 20:04:32)

  • barks
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

System Information shows:

Vendor 0xA35 Device 0x101800:

  Manufacturer:    0xA35
  Model:    0x101800
  GUID:    0xA350049843EC1
  Maximum Speed:    Up to 800 Mb/sec
  Connection Speed:    Up to 400 Mb/sec
  Sub-units:
Unknown Unit:
  Unit Software Version:    0x1
  Unit Spec ID:    0xA35

The Unit is connected via 400 to 800 cable - 400 from the Fireface into 800 on the mac.
Its been using this cable fine for 4 years now (when the original 800 port on the FW800 stopped working) and was absolutley fine this morning until I did the update of 0SX this afternoon.

UPDATE

I have just checked the 400 to 800 cable and it is fine. I hooked up a really old Lacie D2 that is 400 only and it booted up and mounted.

  • barks
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

Ok Some progress!

I went all the way back to the first Intel driver - 2.62 - thinking maybe the OS 10.13.4 update had corrupted every aspect of the device being recognised. It was not showing up on the System Info firewire bus after all with the red host light on. I'd ascertained the 400-800 lead was not the problem by booting an old Lacie D2.

Installed 2.62 but still it would not load because of the security issue in system preferences - it simply would not authorise the RME app when ever I pressed "Apply".

I tried reinstalling 2.62 again for the second time and this time opened the Sys Pref Security and hot plugged the FF800 in that order.

Again the same issue with the Apply button - however in frustration I just kept clicking on Apply rapidly (10 times or so in utter desperation and with copious amounts of swearing) and voila, it was accepted with the instruction to restart.

I have audio!

So I am back and tentatively going to update to the latest driver and firmware - but what the hell was all that about?

9 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

It's called 'User Frustration Technology', UFT, the latest genius idea from whoever in that stranded spaceship.

And you can't imagine how frustrated the support teams are on explaning this 'feature' and getting hardware to work, as the frustration routines are super-efficiently programmed...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

:-)))))))))

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • barks
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

Haha!

I was relying on the old HWH (Hit it With a Hammer) technology that works so well for old TVs, Analogue desks and car engines.

Seriously though - makes me wonder about using desktop home computers for this job.
Purpose built machines running linux or something.
The inbuilt obsolescence by Apple about their products and code over the last couple years have forced me into nightmare scenarios a couple of times. I was really happy on Snow Leopard!
Not good if you run a professional studio. I spent 7 hours on this yesterday! Hmmm.

Thanks all for help

B

  • cyrano
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Re: Fireface 800 kaput after latest OSX High Sierra 10.13.4 update

MC wrote:

It's called 'User Frustration Technology', UFT, the latest genius idea from whoever in that stranded spaceship.

That's a good acronym. Think I'll steal that from you, if I may.

And you can't imagine how frustrated the support teams are on explaning this 'feature' and getting hardware to work, as the frustration routines are super-efficiently programmed...

I can imagine. This is probably the craziest solution I came across yet.

MB Pro - 2 X FireFace 400, FF800 & DigiFace USB
ADAT gear: Korg, Behri, Fostex, Alesis...

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