External USB-C SSD will not mount with M1 and Big Sur

[megastuff999]

I have a Silicon Power NVMe 2TB SSD in a USB-C SSK enclosure. Worked absolutely fine on my Intel iMac but can't get it to mount on my M1 Mac Mini at all. Does anyone else have the same combo/problem?

Sometimes it shows in the Finder but I am unable to view the contents (spins as if loading the data only to ultimately eject the disk). Have occasionally gotten it to show in Disk Utility too but again it ultimately disappears.

Is this an enclosure issue?

Enclosure works fine with Mac M1 using USB-A (albeit slow); just not via USB-C port.

 

[Fishrrman]

I think you're onto something with your commend "an enclosure issue".
Do you have another enclosure you could try?

Going way WAY back, I recall an issue during the early days of firewire.
Some enclosures worked fine, others not so well or not at all.
The name "Oxford 911" controller chip became something to look for when buying a firewire enclosure, because those chips were "known good".
There could be similar "controller chip conflicts" with the new m-series Macs...

 

[megastuff999]

I don’t have another one to try so may try and find one on Amazon that others report working and see if it will mount.

 

[megastuff999]

Just to update. Tried a Sabrent one and that suffers the same. Emailed Sabrent and they advised, ‘If you are using BigSur version 11.2 or 11.3.1 The issue is related to the software in your Mac M1 computer.’

 

[Falcon_64]

Just to update. Tried a Sabrent one and that suffers the same. Emailed Sabrent and they advised, ‘If you are using BigSur version 11.2 or 11.3.1 The issue is related to the software in your Mac M1 computer.’

I have a Western Digital SN750 2TB NVMe SSD in a TB3 enclosure and it works great on my M1 Mac mini with Big Sur 11.3.1. No problems at all, so I don't think it's a systemic issue.

 

[megastuff999]

I have a Western Digital SN750 2TB NVMe SSD in a TB3 enclosure and it works great on my M1 Mac mini with Big Sur 11.3.1. No problems at all, so I don't think it's a systemic issue.

But that’s thunderbolt, not USB-C. Think that’s the key. It’s the USB-C only ones that don’t work.

 

[Falcon_64]

I have a Silicon Power NVMe 2TB SSD in a SSK enclosure. Worked absolutely fine on my Intel iMac but can't get it to mount on my M1 Mac Mini at all. Does anyone else have the same combo/problem?

Sometimes it shows in the Finder but I am unable to view the contents (spins as if loading the data only to ultimately eject the disk). Have occasionally gotten it to show in Disk Utility too but again it ultimately disappears.

Is this an enclosure issue?

But that’s thunderbolt, not USB-C. Think that’s the key. It’s the USB-C only ones that don’t work.

Ah, I see. You hadn't mentioned USB previously. I hope you do find a solution that works.

 

[megastuff999]

Ah, I see. You hadn't mentioned USB previously. I hope you do find a solution that works.

Sorry, missed that - updated the post now!

 

[deeddawg]

But that’s thunderbolt, not USB-C. Think that’s the key. It’s the USB-C only ones that don’t work.

For clarity, note that you're referring to USB3 vs Thunderbolt.

USBC is a connector not a protocol

 

[khollister]

I have an M1 MBP with 11.3.1 - Samsung T5 and T7's mount just fine via USB-C cable. You need to try a different enclosure I think.

 

[solouki]

I have an M1 MBP with 11.3.1 - Samsung T5 and T7's mount just fine via USB-C cable. You need to try a different enclosure I think.

Hi all,

Just to add to the commentary, I use a Samsung X5 SSD that mounts and works quite well (~2000MB/s write, ~2500MB/s read) on an M1 MBP. Its connection is PCI-Express, that is, Thunderbolt 3 through a USB-C connector. I believe the T5 and T7 are using some flavor of the USB3 protocol through the USB-C connector.

So, with khollister's T5 and T7 results and my X5 results, the M1 MBP will mount and operate both the USB3 as well as the PCi-Express connections.

...just thought it might to useful to add this result.

Solouki

 

[jerryk]

Hi all,

Just to add to the commentary, I use a Samsung X5 SSD that mounts and works quite well (~2000MB/s write, ~2500MB/s read) on an M1 MBP. Its connection is PCI-Express, that is, Thunderbolt 3 through a USB-C connector. I believe the T5 and T7 are using some flavor of the USB3 protocol through the USB-C connector.

So, with khollister's T5 and T7 results and my X5 results, the M1 MBP will mount and operate both the USB3 as well as the PCi-Express connections.

...just thought it might to useful to add this result.

Solouki

My T7 also works fine.

 

[megastuff999]

delete

 

[megastuff999]

I have an M1 MBP with 11.3.1 - Samsung T5 and T7's mount just fine via USB-C cable. You need to try a different enclosure I think.

Hmm, not managed to find any non-TB ones that people confirm work. TB ones considerably more expensive than USB-C/USB3 ones. I already have the SSD, so don't want the whole drive.

 

[Clix Pix]

Samsung X5 and T5 and T7 all work fine here, too, with both my 2018 Intel-based MBP and my 2020 M1 MBP. I'm not a big fan of enclosures, as one can't really be sure of the quality and the compatibility of it with whatever device it is paired. In buying an already-manufactured external SSD such as Samsung, SanDisk or G-Drive products one can be better assured that the thing will be compatible and actually work with whatever system it is hooked into.

 

[megastuff999]

Samsung X5 and T5 and T7 all work fine here, too, with both my 2018 Intel-based MBP and my 2020 M1 MBP. I'm not a big fan of enclosures, as one can't really be sure of the quality and the compatibility of it with whatever device it is paired. In buying an already-manufactured external SSD such as Samsung, SanDisk or G-Drive products one can be better assured that the thing will be compatible and actually work with whatever system it is hooked into.

Yes, I get that, but here I am with an SSD already It works fine on my iMac (Intel). I really think this is a M1 shortcoming.

 

[deeddawg]

Hmm, not managed to find any non-TB ones that people confirm work. TB ones considerably more expensive than USB-C/USB3 ones. I already have the SSD, so don't want the whole drive.

My Sandisk 1TB Extreme USB3.2 gen 2 SSD works fine - ~700-800Mbps on Blackmagic disk speed test.

SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD - Up to 1050MB/s, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware - External Solid State Drive - SDSSDE61-1T00-G25

Your life’s an adventure. To capture and keep its best moments, you need fast, high-capacity storage that accelerates every move. 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write speeds let you store your content and creations on a fast drive that fits seamlessly into your active lifestyle. Up to two-meter drop ...

www.amazon.com

 

[Clix Pix]

Prices on ready-built external SSDs have dropped significantly over the past several years so there really isn't the same urgency about trying to save money by buying an enclosure and "building one's own" device.

 

[megastuff999]

My Sandisk 1TB Extreme USB3.2 gen 2 SSD works fine - ~700-800Mbps on Blackmagic disk speed test.

SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD - Up to 1050MB/s, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware - External Solid State Drive - SDSSDE61-1T00-G25

Your life’s an adventure. To capture and keep its best moments, you need fast, high-capacity storage that accelerates every move. 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write speeds let you store your content and creations on a fast drive that fits seamlessly into your active lifestyle. Up to two-meter drop ...

www.amazon.com

" I already have the SSD, so don't want the whole drive."

 

[megastuff999]

Prices on ready-built external SSDs have dropped significantly over the past several years so there really isn't the same urgency about trying to save money by buying an enclosure and "building one's own" device.

Yes, I understand the concept. But I already have this drive, which works fine on Intel Macs. No good reason it can't work here too, surely?

 

[Clix Pix]

I have several external SSDs which I use for various purposes, primarily backup and archiving of photographic files; redundancy is key and I keep one set in my bank safe deposit box, swapping out each month as I update the drives so that my important files are genuinely protected by safekeeping as well as readily available here at home.

 

[megastuff999]

I have several external SSDs which I use for various purposes, primarily backup and archiving of photographic files; redundancy is key and I keep one set in my bank safe deposit box, swapping out each month as I update the drives so that my important files are genuinely protected by safekeeping as well as readily available here at home.

...O....K....?

 

[Clix Pix]

Yes, I understand the concept. But I already have this drive, which works fine on Intel Macs. No good reason it can't work here too, surely?

Buy yourself a Samsung T7 or a Sandisk Extreme Pro or a G-Drive and try it out for yourself in both your intel machine and your new M1 machine, and I think you'll have your answer..... Clearly there is some incompatibility going on with the M1 and the homebuilt enclosure-and-drive combo that you put together. You can either waste a lot of time and money buying and trying different enclosures with that same drive or you can simply buy a readymade one and be good to go. The choice is yours......

 

[Clix Pix]

...O....K....?

Oh, I guess I should've been clearer and more specific..... I was responding to the "I have this one drive and that's all I need" kind of thinking. In reality, most people who use external drives have two or more because, yes, from time to time an external drive CAN fail and one doesn't want to lose all the files that are on it.

 

[megastuff999]

Oh, I guess I should've been clearer and more specific..... I was responding to the "I have this one drive and that's all I need" kind of thinking. In reality, most people who use external drives have two or more because, yes, from time to time an external drive CAN fail and one doesn't want to lose all the files that are on it.

Yes, got a 10GB NAS with 4 bays for redundancy. It's not about having one single device. It's about something that should work with an M1 Mac and doesn't.

Yes, I'll wait it out.