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Sonoma and Samsung SSD T7 compatible?

I am using MacBook Pro (M2 2022) with OS Sonoma 14.1.1. I am trying to use a new Samsung SSD T7 on my MacBook Pro but SSD is not recognized. The message shows that the device (SSD) is disconnected. This is after l formatted (and reformatted) the Samsung SSD under Mac OS Extended Journal.


Is there compatibility issues? Has anyone had a similar problem? Could anyone help?


Many thanks.

MacBook Pro (M2, 2022)

Posted on Nov 11, 2023 3:35 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 22, 2024 8:25 AM

Sorry, I had mistakenly replied to Alexmal1, when I had wanted to reply to the group. Here's my reply:


Greetings, Everyone.


I was pulling my hair out over my Samsung T7 SSD disconnecting in the middle of Time Machine backups after "upgrading" my M2 Studio to Sonoma. To add insult to injury, I could never remount the SSD after it disconnects. Restarting the Mac allowed the T7 to be mounted again, but the disconnection bug — I mean — feature kept coming back.


This perplexed me for days until I happened upon a discussion elsewhere that the USB-C ports on the front of my M2 Studio may not be supplying enough power while running Sonoma. So I plugged my T7 into one of the Thunderbolt ports on the back of the Mac and Hooray! No more disconnects, and Time Machine is back on the job!


Also, no offense intended, but I'm glad I didn't have to resort to installing Samsung Portable SSD or Samsung Magician software, when Apple's own Disk Utility has been working flawlessly all along.


Thank you for reading this, and apologies to Alexmal1.

8 replies
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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 22, 2024 8:25 AM in response to Chloé3

Sorry, I had mistakenly replied to Alexmal1, when I had wanted to reply to the group. Here's my reply:


Greetings, Everyone.


I was pulling my hair out over my Samsung T7 SSD disconnecting in the middle of Time Machine backups after "upgrading" my M2 Studio to Sonoma. To add insult to injury, I could never remount the SSD after it disconnects. Restarting the Mac allowed the T7 to be mounted again, but the disconnection bug — I mean — feature kept coming back.


This perplexed me for days until I happened upon a discussion elsewhere that the USB-C ports on the front of my M2 Studio may not be supplying enough power while running Sonoma. So I plugged my T7 into one of the Thunderbolt ports on the back of the Mac and Hooray! No more disconnects, and Time Machine is back on the job!


Also, no offense intended, but I'm glad I didn't have to resort to installing Samsung Portable SSD or Samsung Magician software, when Apple's own Disk Utility has been working flawlessly all along.


Thank you for reading this, and apologies to Alexmal1.

Reply

Nov 13, 2023 4:41 PM in response to Chloé3

How do you have the "Allow accessories to connect" option set in the Privacy & Security System Settings? I highly recommend setting it as "Automatically when unlocked" especially while you test the T7 SSD to make sure you are not missing the prompt to allow the external drive connection. This is the setting I decided to use on my Apple Silicon Mac since it is the least annoying while still preserving security.

If your Mac asks you to allow an accessory to connect - Apple Support


Allow accessories to connect to Mac - Apple Support



Are you utilizing the T7's built-in hardware encryption? If so, then you need to use the Samsung proprietary software to unlock the SSD. If that is the case, then maybe the Samsung software is not compatible with Sonoma......check whether the Samsung software has any updates for compatibility with Sonoma. If you have the T7's built-in hardware encryption enabled, then you can disable it on one of the other computers where the T7 is still working.


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Feb 2, 2024 7:33 AM in response to Thedarkknight1

you are wellcome


posible 1

₪ how to install if it doesn’t see it - before installing

- macos sonoma and later - others on m1 m2 m3 processors

- go to the Privacy and Security section - go lower - Security - under the App store block there will be a function - Enable system extensions - you will be asked to disable

- then turn off mac book - turn on while holding - boot settings - select options - enter password

- at the top of the menu - utilities - security utility - select the tab - security policy

- you will see 2 tabs - optional - highest level of security

- - set - synthetic security level

- - sublevel - first tab - allow user to manage extended kernels

- save enter password


after the procedure - install the software on the drives

- during the installation process - the software may require permission from the Samsung application. In the security section


You will most likely need to install the application

Samsung Magician at https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/tools/

On the same page, install Samsung Portable SSD Software for T5, X5 (3) or T7

Check the SSD operation again


the above condition must be enabled


Posible 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pat_SzbPOHY

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Nov 11, 2023 6:42 PM in response to Chloé3

Make sure to connect the SSD directly to the laptop. Try disconnecting all other external devices in case one of them is causing a problem.


Try restarting the laptop to see if that helps. Try booting into Safe Mode to see if that helps....if it does, then it means you have some third party software installed which is interfering with the normal operation of macOS.


I know that some older Samsung T5 SSDs are not compatible with an Apple Silicon Mac. I'm not certain if the same thing could pertain to a T7 SSD. If the T7 is one recently manufactured, then that is probably not the issue.

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Nov 11, 2023 3:54 PM in response to Chloé3

Drives like the MyBook came with software, and the manufacturer suggested you install that software.


What that software does is to "spare you the annoyance of having to re-initialize the drive" from its factory set Windows New Technology File System (NTFS, the W is silent because there are no other Operating Systems) or similar unusual (on a Mac) format. Instead, the software they provided would simulate a MacOS drive inside an NTFS file for your Mac.


The downside of using the manufacturer's software is that if the manufacturer's software is not loaded, the Macintosh Volume may not readable, or may not be writable. This means that in startup manager, Installer, and in Recovery such as after a data loss, the Macintosh Volume may not be visible.


The standard advice given here to all users, including novice users, is to discard the manufacturers software and NEVER use it. "Best Practice" is to erase the physical device when new, using only MacOS Disk Utility, and create the fundamental data structures needed for consistent, reliable use by MacOS.


Be sure to "show all devices" which will allow you to ERASE the entire Physical Device by its immutable manufacturer-given device-name, not just user created Volume-name such as ‘Macintosh HD’.


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Nov 12, 2023 3:02 PM in response to HWTech

Thank you very much, HWTech! I tried all suggestions from you but sadly, the unhappy state of the SamsungSSD T7 being shown as disconnected continues.


l also tried This SSD on another MacbookPro with OS High Siena 10.13.6. The Samsung SSD T7 works on it. No issues.


l wonder going back and forth between different OSS, in my case Sonoma and High Sierra, might have been a factor that provoked the problem that l have?



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Nov 15, 2023 11:29 PM in response to Chloé3

Me too I have followed the Samsung Troubleshooting Guide regarding MacCompatability, it is showing "No Samsung Portable SSD is connected". I tried contacting Samsung, they were asking me to send photos of the error, when it is already in their own document, and then got disconnected. Now I cannot access drive. It's supposed to be compatible with MacOS, but can't seem to get any assistance from Samsung or Apple. Very Frustrated. Have wasted hours so far


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Feb 22, 2024 7:59 AM in response to Alexmal1

Greetings, Everyone.


I was pulling my hair out over my Samsung T7 SSD disconnecting in the middle of Time Machine backups after "upgrading" my M2 Studio to Sonoma. To add insult to injury, I could never remount the SSD after it disconnects. Restarting the Mac allowed the T7 to be mounted again, but the disconnection bug — I mean — feature kept coming back.


This perplexed me for days until I happened upon a discussion elsewhere that the USB-C ports on the front of my M2 Studio may not be supplying enough power while running Sonoma. So I plugged my T7 into one of the Thunderbolt ports on the back of the Mac and Hooray! No more disconnects, and Time Machine is back on the job!


Also, no offense intended, but I'm glad I didn't have to resort to installing Samsung Portable SSD or Samsung Magician software, when Apple's own Disk Utility has been working flawlessly all along.


Thank you for reading this.

Reply

Sonoma and Samsung SSD T7 compatible?

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