• Registered: 2024-01-26
  • Posts: 3

Topic: FF400 to M1 MacBook Pro (Ventura) worked! Then disappeared! :( Why?

Hi all.

I have a working FF400 that works great on my 2012 MacBook Pro (Catalina)

And after I bought a new M1 MAX MacBook Pro (upgraded to Ventura), followed the instructions on RME about booting in recovery mode, setting the "insecure" mode, installing drivers, restarting, it worked! This was about a month ago. For several weeks I was happy.

Then I was trying to switch from the Fireface to the internal speaker for a Zoom meeting.
A day later, I noticed that the Fireface 400 was no longer an input  or output in the Sound panel.
The RME icon was still in the toolbar at the bottom though.

I tried rebooting and now there's no more Fireface.

This feels like an Apple driver issue (unless my two new-ish FR800 to Thunderbolt -> Thunderbolt  adaptors just died out of nowhere?)

Re-installing the driver doesn't work. The security bits are still "insecure" and there's no "Allow" to set.

Any ideas? Is there a PRAM-like reset on M1 Macs?
A log to look at?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,776

Re: FF400 to M1 MacBook Pro (Ventura) worked! Then disappeared! :( Why?

Is the FF connected to external power? Does it show up as a Firewire device?
Did you go through this?
https://forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopic.php?id=33277

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2024-01-26
  • Posts: 3

Re: FF400 to M1 MacBook Pro (Ventura) worked! Then disappeared! :( Why?

The Fireface 400 is plugged in (myvolt) and turned on.

After it stopped working on the M1 Max MacBook Pro, in the System report->Firewire, it says "No Firewire ports were found."
The Thunderbolt to Firewire 800 dongle chain is plugged in.

I have verified that my Firewire 800 to 400 cable works via a 2012 MacBook Pro with Firewire 800 port.

Not sure how else to test the dongle chain. The two adaptors are about a month old.

I can try the driver "permissions" trick you linked to also, but is it expected to have the Firewire port show up in system report first even with driver not loading?

Thanks for your assistance.

  • Registered: 2024-01-26
  • Posts: 3

Re: FF400 to M1 MacBook Pro (Ventura) worked! Then disappeared! :( Why?

UPDATE: I tried the method of going into safe mode, running the kmxutil panic cmd, and repeated the driver installation process.

On the way in I noticed it wanted me to allow both RME and an Apple Update extension (not sure what this was...)
Unfortunately, I still see no Firewire ports listed in System Report, and predictably no Sound source for Fireface 400.

I'm guessing it is this brand new Apple Firewire 800 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, dying after 1 month of use? Or the Thunderbolt 2 to 3 one, but that seems unlikely too? What else could it be on the Apple side?