Adjusting MacBook security to install Samsung magician software

Chanelle05 wrote:

Can you anyone else on here please recommend a good brand of external SSDs that actually work well with a MacBook and iPad with the apple M chips ?  

Samsung's T7 drives are very good, inexpensive, and widely available. I recommend against the "Shield" models because the USB port is loose and the drive constantly disconnects.

You don't need any 3rd party software for an external hard drive. In most cases, you don't need any 3rd party software for any external hardware.

The problem you're experiencing here is cultural and capitalism. 3rd party hardware has always included "drivers" and other various junkware. I don't know why they do that, but they always have. Maybe it's to track or upsell you for additional revenue later on. Maybe it is planned obsolesce because they know the software will stop working before the hardware. The first thing a savvy Mac user does is erase a newly purchased external hard drive.

Same goes for any external device. Never install the software. Just plug it in and see if it works. If it doesn't, then take it back. If you need something really unusual, then do extra research. In rare cases, you may need a 3rd party driver, but think long and hard before you use anything like that. It will be a source of headaches and problems for years down the line.

All things considered, Samsung is one of the best 3rd party manufacturers in this respect. Other manufacturers are much worse. I didn't even know they had a "magician" software. I have several T7s.

I'm not sure what your goal is but the Samsung Magician site clearly states:

"Samsung Magician 8.1 is compatible with the following operating systems:

Windows 10 (32-bit/64-bit), macOS High Sierra, and Android 5.1 and

above. For Windows 8.1 and lower, please use Magician 7.3. The Linux

operating system is not supported.

*Internal SSDs are not supported on macOS or Andriod. "

I suggest you seek help from Samsung for their product.

My guess is that if you did get it to load the kernel extension written for High Sierra, it would cause a kernel panic on your Apple Silicon Mac.

That is excellent information for users to know. etresoft had once mentioned that Apple allowed developers a function to install a kernel extension into the normally off-limits System folder. And back in Catalina while testing VirtualBox, it did just that. But once installed, there is literally no way to remove the extension without erasing the drive and starting over.

Chanelle05 wrote:

Thank you for answering my questions. 😊

I’ve never used an external SSD, only flash drives to store documents & photos. So they’re new to me. 

I haven’t been able to find any SSD companies that actually make a software for their SSD that is compatible with Mac OS. (I thought Samsung did, but apparently not). 

I have SSDs from Western Digital, Samsung, Apricorn, OWC, and others working fine with Macs for a number of years. I never install the manufacturer utilities or software because they are unnecessary and can cause harm. So if the manufacturer software only works on Windows, it does not matter. I have been using a Samsung T7 (and an older T5) since it first came out in 2020, starting with a Mac on Catalina and now on Sonoma, no issues ever.

Can you anyone else on here please recommend a good brand of external SSDs that actually work well with a MacBook and iPad with the apple M chips ?  

All the SSDs I have, from multiple manufacturers above, work fine with M1 and M3 Macs that I have. Just never install the manufacturer utilities or software. If you do that, the drive may stop working when you update the MacOS someday in the future.

Chanelle05 wrote:

I’m aware the Samsung magician software is compatible with Mac OS. But apple won’t allow you to install this software without ‘reducing security’.

I just want to know if this is safe to do or will it make my MacBook venerable to viruses/malware ?

The specific software in question is, Yes Compatible with a Specific Version of macOS

As my fellow contributor as mentioned.

macOS 10.13 High Sierra , released in 2017, is a version of macOS but is Not macOS 14 Sonoma released in 2023

Safe to install - I would not

Software designed to work on version of macOS released 7 years ago will probable not work at all, even if one were to Reduce Security Setting

While there is some "security" to disallowing kernel extensions, Apple primarily blocks them because they cause instability. I'm not sure a kernel extension written for High Sierra (Intel) would even work on an Apple Silicon Mac. My guess is that if you did get it to load the kernel extension written for High Sierra, it would cause a kernel panic on your Apple Silicon Mac.

adjust the security settings to ‘reduced security’ allow user management of kernel extensions from identified developers. 

I’m worried that if I do this, it will make my MacBook vulnerable to viruses/malware. 

That's really not the problem as I described above. However, if it does cause your Mac to crash, you may not be able to remove it. Apple doesn't like kernel extensions and seems to be making it painful to even try using them.

Chanelle05 wrote:

That’s interesting information.

But it does say this software is compatible with Mac OS high sierra and ‘above’. Doesn’t this mean it will work for all the other operating systems that came after it as well ?

It depends on when that version was released and if they keep it updated.

Or is it the M chip computers making it more complicated to work with this software ?

As I noted earlier, third party kernel extensions cause instability in the system, so Apple is pushing vendors to use a different method.

Kernel extensions are primarily interfaces with hardware that are not included in the OS itself. An SSD should not need a kernel extension.

Almost every third-party kernel extension is poorly made. They may work with the os version they were originally made to support, but almost always break with a new OS.

Are you wanting to install this to flash the firmware on the drive? That’s absolutely ridiculous. They can make a utility to flash the firmware that doesn’t require a kernel extension.

There are macOS High Sierra released 2017, macOS 10.14 Mojave released 2018, macOS 10.15 Catalina released 2019, macOS 11 Big Sur released 2020, macOS 12 Monterey released 2021, macOS 13 Ventura released 2022, macOS 14 Sonoma released 2023

That is 7 version since macOS High Sierra was released

That is a lot wiggle room between macOS 10.13 High Sierra and above, as in above what , macOS 10.14, macOS 10.15 just where does it end.

Added, macOS 10.14 Mojave was the Last Version of macOS to Support anything 32 bit

All other version, starting with macOS 10.15 Catalina and ALL above Only support everything 64 Bit

Not knowing the exact computer one is using , Intel Based Computer or Apple Silicon M1, M2. M3 computer which are all Apple Silicon - then one Must Factor in this too

Again, if you what to try and install by Reducing the Security Setting to allow this software to install - it is risky

If it were my computer, which it is not, I would not

At least, until Samsung puts in writing what is meant by " and above "

I have several Samsung SSDs and have avoided installing any Samsung magician etc software which might be incompatible with macOS at some point. I just use Disk Utility to erase new SSDs as APFS case insensitive. The only use I see for Samsung software would be to update the SSD firmware, but I'd do that via an external bootable macOS anyway so that software does not litter my main internal work volume.

In the past I have almost never installed any 3rd party gadget software. Notable exceptions have been remote control for some Canon cameras and selected Canon scanner software items.

The use seem bent on using Third Party Software to manage an External Drive

In certain instance it may be required ( Third Party Disk Management Software " If the external Drive were in a NTFS Drive format

NTFS drives are a Microsoft drive format and used on Microsoft Computers

Yes, the drive and be Read in macOS but can not be Written to without the Third Party Disk Management Software

All other Third Party Software use to Manage an External Drive is entirely useless .

More often than not the software is buggy or just does not work

macOS is very will designed to mange extra drive without Interference

If you're certain the software you downloaded is safe (from the original vendor's site), you don't need to change any settings to try using the installer, or running the app.

All you need to do is right click on the app and choose Open. The OS will ask you to confirm you really want to do this. Verify and the app will run (if it can within the version of macOS you have).