Mac Pro 2023 will not boot with PCIe SSD installed.

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Mac Pro 2023 will not boot with PCIe SSD installed.

I just spent all night setting my new M2 Mac Pro. Everything seemed OK. This morning I was ready to do the final steps and get back to work. The final steps included adding some additional storage for my audio projects. Something I've been doing for over two decades now and didn't expect that to be a showstopper.

As soon as I installed my previously working OWC SSD OWC Accelsior 4M2 the Mac Pro would NOT boot. This drive works and I put it back in my 2019 Mac Pro and there are no issues. Even if I put the OWC SSD in a Sonnet PCIe to Thunderbolt chassis, the same thing happens. No boot. If I connect the chassis when the Mac is booted, it freezes.

I had also purchased a new OWC Accelsior 8M2 and planned for it to be my main working audio drive but the issue also happens with that SSD, so it's safe to say it's not a faulty SSD.

OWC is a VERY reliable brand and widely used in the pro audio and video community. I've been using them over 20 years now without issue.

I am not using these drives to boot the MacOS from. These are just storage for my actual audio projects, which is common in audio studios to have a dedicated drive for all the audio work. No software runs from these drives. I am using the internal Mac SSD to boot from as you normally would and without the PCIe SSDs, the computer seems to run just fine. I was so excited to get to work but I can't use this machine and get by on just the internal storage. Additional PCIe storage is essential in a pro studio.

I chatted with Apple Support today and they are looking into it, but I don't feel too confident about it. The "senior advisor" was not even aware there was a new 2023 Mac Pro (LOL) and hadn't watched the WWDC yet. I thought he was joking. He was not.

I called OWC as well and they are not aware of any issues yet but the Mac Pro just started arriving yesterday so it's still new territory. I'm trying to find out if it's an OWC issue, or Apple.

I do have an OWC Thunderbay 8 with 8 HDD (my project archives) and that did work OK.

Something about the new Mac Pro is NOT happy with PCIe SSDs connected either internally, or in a Thunderbolt chassis.

After staying up all night and wasting about 10 hours of setting up the new 2023 Mac Pro, I am sadly back to working on my 2019 Mac Pro. All my OWC SSDs work just fine again when inserted in the 2019 Mac Pro.

This could be bad news for Apple if it's on their end.

Mac Pro

Posted on Jun 15, 2023 10:22 AM

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Answer 1

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Jperkins27 Author

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Jun 16, 2023 7:44 AM in response to Jperkins27

Some progress has been made. While for some reason, the new and unformatted OWC 8M2 drive was still causing this issue (it could be due to needing an additional power cable/supply), I tried a new and unformatted OWC 4M2 drive and it worked.

I am currently back to work using the M2 Mac Pro and a new OWC 4M2 PCIe SSD to store my active audio projects.

In talking with OWC, it seems that the new Mac Pro might not like external PCIe drives that are formatted to anything other than APFS Volume • APFS.

Hopefully Apple can release an update that makes the M2 Mac Pro work with a wider variety of external drives in terms of how they are formatted.

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Answer 2

Jun 19, 2023 2:46 PM in response to Jperkins27

<< Maybe somebody from Apple and/or OWC is monitoring this thread and the info will be helpful. >>

I assure you that in the 20plus years I have been participating here, nothing like that has been seen.

Once you get in touch with them, they CAN reference the information already posted here, and that can be helpful, but they do not take our word for any diagnoses.

if you have a new computer, you need to proactively contact Apple Support to get anything. And do not let them tell you the problem is solved if it is not -- be polite and professional, and ask for a specialist to contact you.

Support

.

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Answer 3

Jun 16, 2023 4:01 PM in response to Jperkins27

and now +3 sample size :) I've spent a good part of the past 72 hours doing meticulous troubleshooting (and a lot OF GREAT help from tech support at OWC). I had all three of these cards working fine in my 2019 rig.

2019 Intel Mac Pro. 1- 1tb 1M2 card, 1-1tb 4M2 card, 1-4tb 4M2 card . All working as expected.

2023 M2 Ultra/4tb/128g (it's a hard core Audio machine). .. the original 1tb 4M2 simply wouldn't work. Machine wouldn't boot properly and kicked me to the Recovery partition wanting to me to reinstall the OS.

I got a brand new 2tb 4M2 card overnight to try on its own.. NO dice in the M2, BUT, it worked as expected in the Intel box :/. WTH....

So, I just sent it back to OWC to try after working on the phone for 2hrs troubleshooting different configs/formats/raid setups, etc. Currently, I have the 4tB 4m2 in one of the x16 slots, and the smaller 1M2 in the first x8 slot, and all is fine.

So..we're left with a whack conundrum. is it the newest Chipset in the 4m2? Does the new tower not like more than 2 SSD cards and get confused about Startup Disk/OS issues?? And why would a card work fine on the Intel box, and wreak havoc in the M2 box? Sigh.. I'm thinking a comparable MacStudio with an expansion might have been better?? but now I'm reading about issues there as well. Glad I found this thread and can share with everyone.. Hopefully we'll get a solution.

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Answer 4

Jperkins27 Author

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5 points

Jun 16, 2023 4:50 PM in response to David K. Gross

Hi David,

Thanks for your contributions to this thread. It sounds like we have a lot of similarities in how we use the Mac Pro and OWC SSDs dedicated for audio.

Because it all just worked flawlessly on my 2019 Mac Pro, I've never dug this deep into some of the specs in SoftRAID, but here is a screen shot of some specs from the 42M that is currently working in slot #6 of my 2023 Mac Pro.

I don't have it set up as a RAID, it's just used as one big drive. I just ordered a 2nd 42M for my backup drive so we'll see if that works, or causes issues. It should be here Monday or Tuesday.

I also have three RME PCIe cards in slots 1, 2, & 3 which seem to be fine. Even with JUST the new and unformatted 82M in the new Mac Pro and nothing else, I couldn't get the 2023 Mac Pro to boot. Same with my previously working and formatted 42M drives that were in my 2019 Mac Pro.

The only thing that is working so far is the 42M that was never before formatted and arrived from OWC last week. I attached a screenshot and it says something about 64KB.

It's weird that your overnighted 42M didn't work. The plot thickens.

You'll also see in my screenshot that my older spinning HDDs which are in an OWC Thunderbay 8 are working just fine. They're 3.5" HDDs formatted to SATA External Physical Volume • Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

These are just for older/finished projects and not something I normally keep mounted, but it's interesting that those are just fine. Normally I keep that unit turned OFF because of fan noise and I don't need that data often.

The issue seems to be related to PCIe SSDs that are formatted and configured a certain way that the new Mac Pro 2023 is not happy with, but the 2019 Mac Pro wasn't happy with.

I was also thinking I should have went with the Mac Studio and dealt with the external PCIe to Thunderbolt chassis but without a Mac Studio here, it's hard to know if that would be any different because even when I put my older 42M (which was fine in the 2019 Mac Pro) in my Sonnet Echo Express SE I chassis, it brings the Mac Pro to a grinding halt. It won't boot if it's connected, and if I connect it while it's booted, it freezes instantly.

I also couldn't get in via Recovery Mode.

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Answer 5

Jperkins27 Author

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5 points

Jun 16, 2023 5:01 PM in response to David K. Gross

It's weird that your overnighted 42M didn't work. The plot thickens. Did you format it as APFS? I'll attach a screenshot of the settings that are currently working in my 2023 Mac Pro.

After a half day of things not working, I tried the newly unformatted 4M2 for sh*ts & giggles not expecting anything and of course, that was the only one that worked and allowed the Mac Pro to boot up.

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Answer 6

Jun 16, 2023 10:41 PM in response to David K. Gross

I'd love to start this as a sub-thread specifically see if it's a particular type of chip causing the issue.. Those of use with OWC/SoftRaid can easily see this info.

JPerkins: your 4TB 'Mystery Room' is using 4-1TB OWC Aura Ultra IV chips. So that's working in your M2 (new)

DGross: I have a 4TB "Content" drive using 4- 1TB OWC Aura Ultra PRO chips. This works in both my Intel and M2 box

DGross: I also have an older 1M2 unit with a single 1TB OWC Aura P12 Pro chip that works in both. It's only got a 4kb sector size, and I don't seem to be able to change that. But, when I try to, I get an 'unsupported enclosure' error.. Gonna have to ping OWC about that.. it's working..but :)

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Answer 7

Jperkins27 Author

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5 points

Jun 17, 2023 6:14 AM in response to David K. Gross

Yes, sorry for the blurry screenshot but I'm now just using a small old TV for that computer since I'm now using the 2023 Mac Pro in my main setup.

Attached is a picture of my older 4M2 that worked in my 2019 Mac Pro, but not only didn't work in the 2023 Mac Pro, prevents it from even booting up. I tried putting it in a Sonnet Echo Express SE I but even that prevents it from booting up and if I connect the Sonnet Echo Express SE I (with this SSD in it), the 2023 Mac Pro freezes instantly.

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Answer 8

Jun 17, 2023 11:03 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

@Grant, TBH..I'm not sure. I't was the first one of these card I've had..got it in 2019.. I really think I just put it in and it worked. It's a single chip..so it would have made sense to format with Disk Utility as APFS. Of course, it will show up as a drive in SoftRaid..but I don't know enough to make an informed comment. Does the 4kb sector size (or anything else in the screenshot) give you a hint?

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Answer 9

Jperkins27 Author

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5 points

Jun 20, 2023 11:38 AM in response to SoftRAIDSupport

@SoftRAIDSupport

Thanks for the reply. Would this be true for brand new "Out of the Box" 42M drives that have never been formatted yet?

The problem is that since the Mac Pro 2023 won't boot at all with these 2TB drives inserted, I would have to use my old 2010 Mac Pro to do the formatting which I can do but...

If you didn't see my other messages. My 4TB 4M2 is for some reason working on "out of the box" in my 2023 Mac Pro. My brand new unformatted 2TB 8M2 and 4M2 would not allow the 2023 Mac Pro to boot up at all, which makes doing any formatting or SoftRAID changes impossible to do.

Attached is a screen shot of the 4TB 4M2 that out of the new box allowed the Mac Pro M2 to boot up and then I formatted and named it and has been fine since Friday.

I just tried another 2TB 4M2 out of the box (while the working 4TB remained in the Mac Pro) and it DID NOT allow the Mac Pro M2 to boot up.

I think I have logs from pressing SHIFT CONTROL OPTION COMMAND PERIOD KEY during the failed boots but I don't know where they are stored. I can find them you can point me to where they are.

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Answer 10

Jperkins27 Author

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5 points

Jun 20, 2023 5:02 PM in response to SoftRAIDSupport

MacOS 13.4 (22F2073)

I have not had a single issue with the 4TB 4M2 that I installed as a last resort on Friday after just about giving up. It was meant to be my backup drive to my smaller 2TB 4M2 but so far it's the only PCIe SSD I've had that will allow the Mac Pro to boot up. Zero issues. Many restarts for other misc troubleshooting.

I will keep the SoftRAID software uninstalled for now since I don't seem to need those features. I didn't know it wasn't required.

Attached are some images that may be of use from Disk Utility.

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Answer 11

Jun 20, 2023 10:21 PM in response to Jperkins27

Intersting comparison.. MY 4TB 4M2 is using the Aura Pro IV chips, NOT the Ultra IV's that you have. This worked fine in my Intel box and this one.. No issues

(the Ultra IV that I do have is a 2TB external Envoy EX that came yesterday. My Aura P12 Pro is a 1TB 1M2 internal, also from the 2019 Intel box.. No issues.

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Answer 12

Jun 15, 2023 10:27 AM in response to Jperkins27

<< Something about the new Mac Pro is NOT happy with PCIe SSDs connected either internally, or in a Thunderbolt chassis. >>

it would be more accurate to say, "something about MY SAMPLE of Mac Pro 2023 ..."

This could be a hardware issue that applies only to the sample of the device you received, and no others.

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Answer 13

Jun 15, 2023 10:32 AM in response to Jperkins27

When debugging, you need to try to be methodical and not jump to conclusions. This is not a pervasive issue for all Mac Pro 2023 until Apple acknowledges it is. So far, it is a failure in one Mac.

... and exchanging for a different sample is exactly what is done early on, because no one knows why yours does not work.

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Answer 14

lukiffer

Level 1

8 points

Jun 16, 2023 2:17 PM in response to Jperkins27

So... now a sample size of n+2.

I have a pair of Accelsior 8M2s. New Mac Pro won't boot with 1 or 2 installed. I tried both x8 and x16 slots.

I tried upgrading SoftRAID on both the donor and recipient computers. There's one RAID 10 volume across both cards, the volume _is_ formatted APFS. It's an encrypted volume, but I have the FileVault key in my iCloud keychain and the keychain was current prior to shutting down to install the cards.

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Answer 15

Jperkins27 Author

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5 points

Jun 16, 2023 2:39 PM in response to lukiffer

Thanks for the report. That's why I posted here, to see if anybody else has the issue. I think it's going to be across all new Mac Pros.

What's interesting is that I bought a new OWC 8M2 that I was planning to use with this 2023 Mac Pro and even unformatted, the 2023 Mac Pro would not boot with it. It was never used or formatted. OWC suspected it could be because I didn't have additional power connected to the drive but I didn't get that far and just returned it. I didn't care for the fan noise I was hearing while it was attempting to boot up.

It would also not boot with my previously formatted 4M2 drives that worked just fine in my 2019 Mac Pro. They were formatted to MacOS Extended (Journaled).

The Mac Pro boots just fine with no PCIe cards and even with my 3 different RME Audio PCIe cards.

As a last resort, I tried my brand new unformatted OWC 4M2 which I was planning to use as the backup drive and for whatever reason, that one worked.

I just did a fairly full day of work without any issues.

Apple and OWC are aware of my reports, but we'll see if anything comes from it.

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Mac Pro 2023 will not boot with PCIe SSD installed.

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