Two Areca Thunderbolt drivers and I cannot use the latest driver

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Two Areca Thunderbolt drivers and I cannot use the latest driver

I have an Areca Thunderbolt ARC-8350T3-8 in a Raid configuration which I've been using for years on Mac OS X. When I updated to Mac OS X 15, I began to notice a significant slowdown in responsiveness of apps that use that disk (for example most of my home directories are on the disk). I looked at the Areca website and noticed that there was a newer driver. I'm trying to use the newer driver but have a problem.

The last driver that was installed for the device was installed a few years ago and is ArcMSR 1.4.2. The new driver is ArcMSRu 1.4.8. I can install the new driver but Mac OS X 15 continues to use the old driver and apparently Areca is unable to remove it because it is installed on a read-only directory now.

ArcMSR 1.4.2 is installed in /System/Library/Extensions (and Preboot apparently)

ArcMSRu 1.4.8 is installed in /Library/Extensions

I don't know if switching drivers will solve the apparently slowness of disk transfers, but I can find no way to remove ArcMSR 1.4.2 because of where it is installed. I've completely reinstalled Mac OS 15 from recovery, but need to use "Migration Assistant" and ArcMSR 1.4.2 returns because I have to use options to recover everything else.

Does anyone know of a way to remove ArcMSR 1.4.2 which is apparently also on Preboot so that I can try only ArcMSR 1.4.8 or a way to disable ArcMSR 1.4.2 to keep it from being loaded? Once I reboot, ArcMSR 1.4.2 is the one Mac OS X 15 selects to use because I'm unable to unload it as it is in use.

Basically how to you remove a third party kext that was installed before the System file systems became read-only? Or how to I disable a kext in /System/Library/Extensions (and possibly Preboot) and use /Library/Extensions instead for the Areca driver.

Thanks for any ideas.

Mac mini (2018)

Posted on Jun 21, 2024 3:31 PM

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Answer 1

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BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jun 24, 2024 2:29 PM in response to dnar

It appears that Apple is delivering the older driver in /System which is not modifiable. I’ve installed the new driver which goes in /Library and both are loaded, however the kernel uses the old one.

Might have to Disable SIP to rename or move or delete the older one & any .plist the old one may have had...

Disabling and Enabling System Integrity Protection | Apple Developer Documentation

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Answer 2

dnar Author

Level 1

22 points

Jun 22, 2024 5:25 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank you BDAqua. I don't believe that now works with latest versions of Mac OS X. I've tried that but the /System filesystem I believe is still read-only and cannot be changed. I think that is the difference now between "Mac OS HD" and "Mac OS HD - DATA" in the Mac OS Volume. One contain system files and is read only and the other contains user files and other modifiable system files. My problem is that this older kext is on "Mac OS HD" of the "Mac OS HD volume" and that is read-only. But maybe I can turn SIP off and maybe authenticated-root off and boot from another system and that would allow me to remount that partition as read-write. Had not thought about that. Thanks.

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Answer 3

BDAqua

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Jun 21, 2024 9:44 PM in response to dnar

To remove you'll need to disable SIP...

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/security/disabling_and_enabling_system_integrity_protection

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Answer 4

HWTech

Level 9

68,300 points

Jun 24, 2024 9:51 AM in response to dnar

dnar wrote:

Well I booted into Linux from USB and installed something called linux-apfs-rw and tried to mount the correct volume. In the process, my System disk was damaged somehow. I could boot into recovery but examining volumes returned an error. Only thing to do was to use internet recovery to erase and restore the OS.

The macOS system volume is now signed & sealed. You never want to touch it or you will break the seal which prevents that system volume from being usable anymore.

I don't know how macOS handles third party drivers these days, but they may be stored in linked folders located on the "Data" volume. I know macOS system configuration files which need to be modified are located on the "Data" volume these days.

dnar wrote:

When I updated to Mac OS X 15,

Second, you mentioned macOS 15 which is still in Beta testing and is not allowed to be discussed on this forum due to the forum's EULA and even the EULA you agreed to when downloading & installing the macOS 15.x Sequoia Beta. It is not surprising a third party driver is not compatible with an OS which has not been officially released yet. This is something you would need to discuss with the Areca Tech Support team assuming they want any feedback on an unreleased OS and whether that is even allowed with the Sequoia Beta test EULA.

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Answer 5

dnar Author

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22 points

Jun 22, 2024 6:49 AM in response to BDAqua

Will do. I can mount an APFS volume in Linux rw with some software for Ubuntu. That should allow me to rename the old kext on the Mac OS system drive and preboot and reboot Sonoma and see what happens.

thanks for your input.

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Answer 6

den.thed

Level 10

90,556 points

Jun 22, 2024 7:17 AM in response to dnar

1) I could be wrong, but it looks like you need the ArcMSR 1.4.9 version.

https://www.areca.com.tw/products/thunderbolt-8050T3.html

2) Then see the "Important notice for Installing Areca Driver on Silicone"

https://www.areca.us/support/download/adapter/doc/Important%20notice%20for%20installing%20Areca%20driveron%20M1.pdf

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Answer 7

HWTech

Level 9

68,300 points

Jun 24, 2024 1:05 PM in response to dnar

dnar wrote:

Sorry, I meant Sonoma 14 not 15. My typo.

Good to know sine we would like to continue assisting you.

Thanks for the other info. It appears that Apple is delivering the older driver in /System which is not modifiable. I’ve installed the new driver which goes in /Library and both are loaded, however the kernel uses the old one.

Are you running any anti-virus software, cleaning/optimizer apps, or third party security software? These types of apps interfere with the normal operation of macOS, so they may be causing problems with the newer third party driver.

Did you make sure that the Privacy & Security System Settings are not waiting for you to approve the newer third party Areca driver? I have seen a macOS Sonoma update cause third party drivers and even what appear to be built-in macOS drivers needing to be re-approved after a Sonoma update patch. The approval notice will only remain visible for a very short time, so you may need to reboot the system and check as soon as you log in to see if any drivers are awaiting approval.

I know there is a macOS command line utility for unloading extensions, but I don't know if it will work for a built-in extension located on a signed sealed read-only volume especially if it needs to relocate that extension to another location. Maybe a more knowledgeable contributor will know if this is a possibility.

Have you tried contacting Areca support for assistance?

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Answer 8

dnar Author

Level 1

22 points

Jun 26, 2024 1:09 PM in response to HWTech

No not running anti-virus on this intel mac mini.
Yes did talk to Areca. They say that they cannot do anything because of the implementation of the OS which makes the OS file system read-only.
Turned off sip and authenticated-root
Mount / filesystem as rw
Moved /System/Library/Extensions/ArcMSR.kext to ArcMSR.kext.old
Rebooted.
Install the 1.4.9 driver. Approved in Privacy & Security.
Rebooted.
The file older driver returned to /System/Library/Extensions/ArcMSR.kext, the one ending in .old is not there.
The old driver is loaded and being used by the kernel. New driver not loaded.
Yes there are command line utilities called "kextload" and "kextunload" and I can load the new driver but cannot use it because I cannot unload the old driver because it is in use.
So I guess I'm going to have to report this to Apple as a bug and wait for them not fix it, since there is apparently nothing I can do to get the system to use the new driver.

Thanks for everyone's help.

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Answer 9

dnar Author

Level 1

22 points

Jun 22, 2024 12:49 PM in response to BDAqua

Well I booted into Linux from USB and installed something called linux-apfs-rw and tried to mount the correct volume. In the process, my System disk was damaged somehow. I could boot into recovery but examining volumes returned an error. Only thing to do was to use internet recovery to erase and restore the OS. Currently restoring from Time Machine. Probably should have bought the Paragon version 😂. So I’ll try den.thed method although my mini is Intel not Apple Silicon. I also think that Apple is including the old driver in Sonoma’s system files. Thanks for your input!

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Answer 10

den.thed

Level 10

90,556 points

Jun 22, 2024 1:05 PM in response to dnar

You're welcome. Sorry I missed that you had a 2018 Mac mini listed in your profile.

Hopefully the restore will solve the issue. If not, try re-installing and then migrating from TM during the setup instead of restoring.

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Answer 11

dnar Author

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22 points

Jun 24, 2024 11:47 AM in response to HWTech

Sorry, I meant Sonoma 14 not 15. My typo. Thanks for the other info. It appears that Apple is delivering the older driver in /System which is not modifiable. I’ve installed the new driver which goes in /Library and both are loaded, however the kernel uses the old one.

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Answer 12

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Jun 22, 2024 5:33 AM in response to dnar

Well, let us know where you're at on this my friend... last time I tried it it worked here, but perhaps I too was booted from another volume, as is my usual MO.

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