After Big Sur update, I can't mount my Drobo...

Yeah... I hate to say it but it sounds like something corrupted your array. It's happened to me a few times. As you work to initialize it as a new drive, just be aware it can take a LONG time. I recently swapped in all new drives in my Pegasus32 unit and it took a couple of days to finish. I don't recall if the Drobo is the same. Sharing just in case you experience this. If you see the progress move very slowly, don't be concerned.

See: https://supportportal.drobo.com/retrieve/s3/knowledge/SR-KO/macOS%20Big%20Sur%2011.html

I have the latest Dashboard and Firmware updates and neither of my Drobo 5D's are mounting after Big Sur update (11/14/2020). Both do appear in Dashboard but do not mount onto desktop. Hope there is a fix SOON!

I just had the auto update to Big Sur. Using 5D with Drobo Dashboard version (v3.5.1). Dashboard works fine and reports all drives with health listed as “good” yet all lights are solid red and the system on the dashboard is red as well and reads “critical”. no volumes mount (none appear on desktop). I was using Thunderbolt cable but switched to a USB without it fixing the issue. I’m now locked out of accessing everything. Drobo support has tried to help me without success. I have done all of their tips and suggestions multiple times and nothing has worked. All of my files are on my Drobo! Thank goodness I have Backblaze and everything was updated there monday. I feel like I am going to end up having a Drobo as a desktop ornament now.

Kisklaloo2,

Where did you find the 3.5.2 dashboard update. when I check for updates via my dashboard it says there are none and that I have the latest version of 3.5.1 and when I check the Drobo website, I do not see it there either.

Well, I attempted to do what you did with the .kext file to see if it would fix my issue and now I get a message that says

"The disk you attached was not readable by this computer" Eject, Ignore, Initialize are my choices. my privacy settings show it has full disk access, all lights on the Drobo are solid red and the Drobo shows up in the disk utility even though but says it is Uninitialized. Since I have requested a recovery of all of my data from Backblaze, I am wondering if I should just initialize and see what happens.

I have been working with drobo support since Tuesday evening without success. I have tried turning it on empty, with the drives I have and with brand new drives all with the same result. I have uninstalled the dashboard using the disk image and reinstalled the dashboard multiple times but only when I found your fix did it seem to even give a somewhat different result. I have run so many diagnostics for them as well. right now I am waiting to hear back from support again. I think at this point I am willing to take your other suggestion and start fresh with a new array. if that even works!

well, so much for my bright idea. the steps I had taken previously to get an initialize screen to appear have failed no matter what I try. The erase and factory reset option in the dashboard does not even work. And the Dashboard keeps opening the device in read-only (RO) mode. I am assuming it is because I followed the tech support instructions they gave me on the 19th when trying to get it fixed. aargh!!

Same problem here.

Drobo 5D is shown in Drobo Dashboard and Disk Utility but it doesn't mount.

Thank you. I am in contact with Drobo support and they still cannot get it to mount.

https://files.drobo.com/webrelease/dashboard/Drobo-Dashboard-3.5.2.dmg

originally shared by matt_lx above

I did too and my Drobo Mini still will not mount with TB

Awesome - glad it worked

I have a 5D3 and was able to continue using the drive in Big Sur by connecting via the USB port in the back instead of the Thunderbolt port. I found that if I terminated on the iMac Pro side, to a Thunderbolt port, it works but the desktop icon is not the nifty Drobo drive image but instead a generic orange disk icon. However, if instead I used a UBS-C to USB-A cable (terminated via legacy USB port on iMac Pro), then it works fine and the desktop icon is as expected.

My remaining problem is that while the drive is fully functional in Big Sur, it will not be found by Drobo dashboard. I confirmed the app has Fun Disk Access, rebooted, uninstalled/reinstalled Drobo Dashboard and nothing changes this.