• enoj
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  • Registered: 2022-02-18
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Topic: Could Big Sur cause problems using Firewire800>TB adapter dongle??

Hello. 

Is a Fireface800 compatible with a 2013 Trashcan MacPro / Big Sur (11.5) when using an Apple TB>FW800 adapter dongle? 

I upgraded to Big Sur 11.5 (direct from Sierra), installed 3.41 driver but am not getting the “Allow” dialog in Security and Privacy.  I researched the forums, found several informative threads regarding difficulties with Big Sur.  This unfortunately is WAY over my head (I don’t know anything about using Terminal) therefore I hired a friend who is very Mac savvy.  He spent 4 hours following the various forum threads as well as trying other things.  What always happens is;
… the driver installation says “Success”
… no “Allow” dialog appears in Privacy & Settings
… both the RME Settings program icon and the Totalmix program icon are indeed in the Applications folder
… clicking on RME Settings icon “tries” to open but the window flashes and vanishes (too fast to see what it even is)
… clicking on Totalmix icon does open Totalmix, but since the RME Settings did not open, Totalmix doesn’t open a window.
… my Fireface800 doesn’t appear in Mac Audio prefs

My Mac savvy friend thinks the problem may be caused by the Apple TB>Firewire800 adapter used to connect the Fireface800 into the 2013 Trashcan... BUT... the Fireface800 was previously working PERFECTLY with the same MacPro (with Sierra) AND the same Firewire800>TB adapter… in fact it has not even been disconnected since it was running fine with Sierra.  Could Big Sur really have done something to make the very same connection path now suddenly NOT work??

If Firewire>TB adapter is definitely known to NOT work with Big Sur I'll have to abandon the FF800 ...(I hope not!)

Thanks in advance for any help.

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,567

Re: Could Big Sur cause problems using Firewire800>TB adapter dongle??

Did you check that the basic system FireWire driver is loaded (not ours) and that the FF800 is found as FW device (FireWire ports) in System Information? Or as device hooked to TB?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,769

Re: Could Big Sur cause problems using Firewire800>TB adapter dongle??

https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=33277

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • enoj
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  • Registered: 2022-02-18
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Re: Could Big Sur cause problems using Firewire800>TB adapter dongle??

With no other firewire hardware plugged in, only the Fireface800 plugged in (via Apple TB2>FW800 adapter) the System Report 'FireWire Device Tree' shows;

FireWire Bus
FireWire Bus... Vendor 0xA35 Device 0x101800


And when highlighting 'Vendor 0xA35 Device 0x101800' it shows


Manufacturer:       0xA35
Model:                  0x101800
GUID:                   0xA3500A7ED1C0D
Maximum Speed:   Up to 800 Mb/sec
Connection Speed: Up to 800 Mb/sec
Sub-units:
    Unknown Unit: 
      Unit Software Version:  0x1
      Unit Spec ID:               0XA35


Does this mean the MacPro 2013 is recognizing "something", but doesn't know what it is?
Would this be because the TB>FW adapter is somehow seen/handled differently by Big Sur?  (the same setup worked fine under Sierra)


Thanks in advance for any help I can get.  Unfortunately I'm not knowledgeable about this technical stuff, but everything I research indicates Big Sur is messing up FW devices, but some companies write new drivers that work around it... like RME.  We tried following all of the RME forum suggestions (including the above mentioned 'topic 33277') but FireFace Settings simply does not open when clicked.  I have no idea how to proceed from here.

  • Registered: 2022-04-05
  • Posts: 2

Re: Could Big Sur cause problems using Firewire800>TB adapter dongle??

Hi,

I've got the exact same problem with Monterey 12.2.1 but it's a fresh install with new FW card because my old system had a pci card that doesn't fit in the new one. So it's not an update problem.

The Rme driver is up to date also.

In system report I've got the same "unknown unit"

Totalmix not showing

Fireface "HOST" red LED on.

Have you got any solution?

Thanks a lot anyone !

  • Registered: 2022-04-05
  • Posts: 2

Re: Could Big Sur cause problems using Firewire800>TB adapter dongle??

Found the solution here, for my situation at least :
https://www.rme-audio.de/rme-macos.html

Read carefully, which I didn't do at first:

Before the reboot for finishing the driver installation open System Preferences, Security & Privacy, tab General. There should be a grey „Allow“ button in the right lower area. Click the unlock symbol first, then confirm using the RME GmbH kernel extension

.

Hop it'll help someone!