Samsung T5 & T7 SSDs & the DriveDX App?

[RadDave]

As of today, I now have our 2019 iMac (on Monterey) on Samsung SSDs for TM & CCC backup - one T5 (HFS+) for TM, and 3 T7s (all APFS) for TM and CCC x 2. I've been using DriveDx for internal and external drive monitoring (based on S.M.A.R.T analysis) for years now but when the Samsung SSDs are assessed, just basic info is returned (pics below) with no in-depth analysis; apparently these drives do not use S.M.A.R.T drivers/technology, e.g. the T7s are NVMe-based (quote from the DDx FAQs) and not compatible with being evaluated.

Just curious for those using this type of combination if any solutions can be offered? The Samsung website is rather confusing for these SSDs with numerous Windows and Apple drivers offered for downloads, if this will even help? Any comments appreciated. Dave

Samsung Portable T7 / T7 Touch SSD
Samsung Portable SSD T7 / T7 Touch is NVMe-based SSD internally, so it is not compatible with SAT SMART Driver. SAT is shortened for “SCSI to (S)ATA Translation”, it is for SATA-drives, not NVMe/PCI-drives. For more information about NVMe SMART over USB – please check this article in our FAQ.

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[Lifeisabeach]

You were successfully monitoring external drives before these on this same iMac, right? If so, then you should have the SAT SMART driver installed. I'm looking into this some more since my memory is a little fuzzy on how DriveDx manages this (I use it also on my 2019 iMac) and it looks like the app installs the driver automatically as needed. I'm looking at the version DriveDx shows installed for me, and I have version 0.10.2s. Finder shows version 0.10.2 on the file that's in /Library/Extensions, so that computes. I just manually downloaded the driver from their website, and they have a newer version at 0.10.3. Given that, it's possible you will need to update the driver yourself. Here's their support page with a download link. One thing I would do is at least make sure you don't have the driver lingering in /System/Library/Extensions. as that location was deprecated some time ago and should only be in /Library/Extensions. The support page linked below walks through how to remove the driver if need be.

DriveDx - external USB and FireWire drive diagnostics support

binaryfruit.com

As a side note... I'm extremely disappointed that DriveDx has yet to be updated for Apple Silicon. That SAT SMART driver has been, yes, but not the app itself. Not even Dark Mode support. I fear development has stagnated and may be close to being abandoned. If trying the updated driver doesn't work, it may be worth exploring alternatives.

EDIT: I should also mention that I don't use those Samsung drives so can't be of help with them in particular. It may well be there is no solution, but for the moment, best troubleshooting is to update that driver, then look at another app if need be.

 

[RadDave]

You were successfully monitoring external drives before these on this same iMac, right? If so, then you should have the SAT SMART driver installed. I'm looking into this some more since my memory is a little fuzzy on how DriveDx manages this (I use it also on my 2019 iMac) and it looks like the app installs the driver automatically as needed. I'm looking at the version DriveDx shows installed for me, and I have version 0.10.2s. Finder shows version 0.10.2 on the file that's in /Library/Extensions, so that computes. I just manually downloaded the driver from their website, and they have a newer version at 0.10.3. Given that, it's possible you will need to update the driver yourself. Here's their support page with a download link. One thing I would do is at least make sure you don't have the driver lingering in /System/Library/Extensions. as that location was deprecated some time ago and should only be in /Library/Extensions. The support page linked below walks through how to remove the driver if need be.

DriveDx - external USB and FireWire drive diagnostics support

binaryfruit.com

As a side note... I'm extremely disappointed that DriveDx has yet to be updated for Apple Silicon. That SAT SMART driver has been, yes, but not the app itself. Not even Dark Mode support. I fear development has stagnated and may be close to being abandoned. If trying the updated driver doesn't work, it may be worth exploring alternatives.

EDIT: I should also mention that I don't use those Samsung drives so can't be of help with them in particular. It may well be there is no solution, but for the moment, best troubleshooting is to update that driver, then look at another app if need be.

Hi LiaB - thanks for your excellent response. The Samsung T7 replaced a TM backup on a Seagate spinner (APFS formatted) and just plugged in the old HD which DriveDx was able to analyze - also rechecked the DriveDx FAQs - this time for the older Samsung T5 - discussion below indicating that the SATSMARTDriver is not compatible w/ either Samsung SSD. I've found the SATSMARTDriver in /Library/Extensions and info gives me a 0.8.1 version, so must be behind on that - but not sure an update to the newer SMART driver would address the Samsung issue, which likely requires another type of driver and possibly a different diagnostic app?

I'll go to the Samsung website and look at their FAQs and possibly leave an email, although the company is SO large that in the past I have had no great luck in responses of use - ughh! Thanks again - Dave

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[Lifeisabeach]

Reading that, it looks like the SAT SMART driver might work if you remove Samsung's own driver for that drive (I'm assuming you have that installed?). Is there any reason for Samsung's own driver to be installed?

EDIT: as a side note, I found this discussion on Apple's forums. It's not about SMART monitoring, but a general problem with Samsung's software and compatibility with Macs. Best advice there is to not use any of Samsung's software or drivers and use the drive as a "vanilla" drive. If you have any of that installed, I'd wager it's a factor here.

Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch software do… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

 

[RadDave]

Reading that, it looks like the SAT SMART driver might work if you remove Samsung's own driver for that drive (I'm assuming you have that installed?). Is there any reason for Samsung's own driver to be installed?

EDIT: as a side note, I found this discussion on Apple's forums. It's not about SMART monitoring, but a general problem with Samsung's software and compatibility with Macs. Best advice there is to not use any of Samsung's software or drivers and use the drive as a "vanilla" drive. If you have any of that installed, I'd wager it's a factor here.

Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch software do… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

Thanks for the link - I've purchased a number of Samsung's SSDs (both T5s & T7s) over the years and I immediately erase each in Disk Utility and reformat as macOS Extended or more recently as APFS - the proprietary software should be deleted - so doubt that there are any Samsung drivers/apps on my computers - have not gone to the Samsung website but will later today. Dave

 

[ferrarr]

I just wanted to mention that I have DriveDx Version 1.11.0 (Build 730).

 

[RadDave]

I just wanted to mention that I have DriveDx Version 1.11.0 (Build 730).

Hi Bob - same version that I have installed - have you made similar observations in analyzing various types of external drives?

I decided to look at a few of my other external drives w/ mixed results using DriveDx - the Seagate spinner (fist pic below) is analyzed; a Crucial SSD (2nd pic) gives the same negative results as the Samsung T5/7, but a SanDisk SSD (3rd pic) also is analyzed. Must be the drivers and/or the app. Left a Samsung support email yesterday but no response yet - DriveDx's FAQs have comments as quoted and linked in my previous posts. Dave
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[ferrarr]

My Crucial and PNY SSD Drives show data. The drives were not connected when I restarted my Mac, and I remember a few years ago that drives would need to be ejected and re-connected for them to be seen and have data accessed through DriveDx. Maybe that is still an issue?

I am on an older Mac Mini (2014) running Monterey, so that may have something to do with it.

Does your iMac have the T2 security chip?

 

[Lifeisabeach]

My Crucial and PNY SSD Drives show data. The drives were not connected when I restarted my Mac, and I remember a few years ago that drives would need to be ejected and re-connected for them to be seen and have data accessed through DriveDx. Maybe that is still an issue?

I am on an older Mac Mini (2014) running Monterey, so that may have something to do with it.

Does your iMac have the T2 security chip?

I recall that issue with drives needing to be disconnected. It had something to do with a change to OS X in not automatically loading 3rd party kexts on startup. I don't think that's a problem anymore. DriveDx recognizes my external drives just fine on startup these days. Although Dave's driver is or was a bit out of date.

I can also confirm that Dave's iMac would not have a T2 chip. I have the same one (2019) and the iMac didn't come with that until 2020.

 

[RadDave]

Hi Bob and LiaB - correct on the T2 chip, i.e. not present in my iMac. My Crucial SSDs are the X6 models with an ASMedia ASM235CM controller interface (assume not compatible w/ the SMART technology?) Probably should update my SATSMART driver as suggested to see if that makes a difference? Thanks for your help and comments. Dave

ADDENDUM: downloaded the SATSMART driver 0.10.3s and rechecked the Crucial (pic below) w/ same result; also re-did the Samsung T5/7 - same non-analysis - assume that drives not supporting SMART and the driver will not be evaluated by DriveDx?
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