NVRAM (PRAM) Reset Process
The Apple document linked below provides the official instructions for
performing an NVRAM (or PRAM) reset, as well as some useful background
information on what the reset actually does inside the computer.
NVRAM (or PRAM) resets can be a useful first s...
Data Transfer: Moved Drive to External Enclosure, Files Not Visible
Some hard drives are not formatted properly to work "as is" in an
external enclosure.
If you have files on the hard you are moving, you need to back up your
data before you install the drive into the enclosure. After the backup
is complete, we recommend...
RAM: Intel Macs - Pairing RAM Modules
Generally, any iMac, non-Retina MacBook, or non-Retina MacBook Pro, or
Mac Mini from the last several years should allow RAM modules of the
same spec but different capacities to be installed in any of the
RAM slots in the computer. There is no specific or...
ExpressCard/34 Host Adapter: eSATA Cable Stuck
Occasionally eSATA cables can feel like they're stuck in the host
adapter they're connected to. Avoid pulling with too much force on the
plug when removing it. Instead, try gently rocking it from side to
side as you pull the plug out, or add a bit of extr...
OS X: Time Machine Backup Transfer
If you want to transfer your compressed Time Machine backup from one
drive to a new drive, please follow Apple's official instructions.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202380...
miniStack (All): Fan Noise
Over time, dust can accumulate inside legacy and current model
miniStack fan housings, causing the fan mechanism to become
unbalanced. This can create unusual noises coming from the fan area.
The problem can often be fixed with careful use of compressed a...
Carbon Copy Cloner: Bootcamp Limitations
NOTICE: this article references a product no longer sold by MacSales.
Currently Carbon Copy Cloner cannot make a bootable clone of your
Bootcamp Volume.
https://bombich.com/kb/ccc4/can-ccc-back-up-my-bootcamp-windows-partition
[https://bombich.com/kb/...
eSATA Extender Cable Adapter: Correct PCIe Slot
Article applies to: NWTMPQXES2
The NewerTech eSATA Cable Extender Adapter must be installed into
the top PCIe slot in your Mac Pro. It cannot be moved to a different
slot because the length of the extender cable would not allow for
it....
OS X, macOS: Apple Partition Map vs. GUID Partition Table
There are two types of partition map schemes recommended for Macs;
once applied they will determine some of the formatted drive's
capabilities.
APPLE PARTITION MAP (APM)
1. Seen and usable on all PowerPC and Intel based Mac
machines.
2. Bo...
eSATA Cables: Maximum Effective Length
The maximum length for an eSATA cable is 2 meters (or slightly more
than 6.5 feet).
With passive-adapters the maximum cable length is reduced to 1 meter,
due to the absence of compliant eSATA signal levels....
How do I find system information in Mac OS 9.2.2 through 10.4.x?
351
To find the System Information for Mac OS 10.4:
1. Click on the blue Apple icon in the top left corner of your
screen and select About This Mac.
2. In the window that pops up you will see the Operating System
version as well as the Processo...
Legacy Mac: MacBook Pro, USB ExpressCard Speeds
If you are using an ExpressCard/34 adapter with USB ports, please see
the list below to get an idea of which legacy MacBook Pro models can
(theoretically) support full USB 3.0 speeds.
PCIE 1.0 1X (THEORETICAL 250MB/S) EFFECTIVELY HALF-SPEED
MacBookPro...
FireWire Enclosures: Sleep Issues with 10.9 and later
External enclosures from OWC and NewerTech that use FireWire chipsets
made by Oxford and JMicron may exhibit a behavior whereby the drives
do not spin down when the computer sleeps. This behavior exists on
Macs running OS X 10.9 or later and does not occu...
NewerTech RAID Manager: Password Reset
To reset the username and/or password for the browser-based NewerTech
RAID Manager, these steps will reset the password to the default. As a
reminder, the default username and password are both 'admin'.
1. Open the 'Go to Folder...' window. Select the F...
Thunderbolt 2 Dock: Switched Audio Channels
It has been confirmed that the audio channels for the headphone jack
(Audio Out) on the OWC Thunderbolt 2 Dock, are flipped. That is, the
signal for the left channel will play through the right output and
vice-versa. Future shipments will include a fix fo...
My Mac gets stuck during boot in Yosemite
If your Mac is randomly getting stuck during the boot process in
Yosemite, it may be from unsigned extensions. This is most common with
the Mac mini models.
First you will need to get it to boot before we can proceed.
GETTING THE MAC TO BOOT:
1) Sta...
SMC Reset Process
Resetting the System Management Controller (or SMC) in a Mac can be a
useful way to troubleshoot various kinds of problems that arise,
typically related to new hardware that may have been installed
recently. The document below describes Apple's official i...
Aura for 2013 Mac Pro: High Fan Speeds
PROBLEM
After installing the Aura for 2013 Mac Pro, the fan spins up to
maximum RPM and the drive will not mount.
SOLUTION
*
_Power the Mac Pro off and disconnect the power cable and all
peripheral cables._
*
_Remove the outer case._
*
_...
Rack Pro RAID Manager: Preventing Drive Spin-down / Sleep / Standby
Occasionally problems can arise with the Rack Pro + RAID Manager
configuration, if the drives spin down. This happens when the unit
goes into Sleep or Standby mode. To avoid drive spin down and
potential problems, select "No Standby" in the RAID Manager o...
Thunderbolt 2 Dock: Scratch-resistant Cover & Protective Film
ISSUE: OWC Docks ship with a thin film of protective plastic on its
scratch-resistant cover. The plastic film is there to prevent cosmetic
damage during packing and shipment. If left intact the film can become
scratched after some use, giving the impress...
Legacy Mac: 2015 MacBook Target Display Support
The 2015 MacBook with the native USB-C port (MacBook8,1) does not
support Target Display Mode in our limited testing, including when
passed through the USB-C Dock's HDMI port, and when passed through
Apple's USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter (MJ1K2AM/A)....
Mount Pro: Compatibility
Occasionally we are asked why the Mount Pro will not work in 2006,
2007, or 2008 Mac Pro models. At a glance, the native drive sleds in
those models might look the same as those found in the 2009, 2010, and
2012 models. However they are not the same.
Th...
NewerTech Batteries: 2010-2014 MacBook Air Models (Fit)
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
NWTBAP11MBA38
NWTBAP11MBA39
NWTBAP13MBA55
ENSURING PROPER BATTERY FIT
Occasionally there may be difficulty achieving a precise fit when
installing one of these three batteries. The issue almost always boils
down to imprope...
Mercury Elite Pro (U3/FW800): MacPro6,1 and 10.9.5
Some of our 5TB enclosures including one variant of the Mercury Elite
Pro (OWCME3QH7T5.0) ship with Toshiba hard drive model MD04ACA500. If
you are using a USB-enabled enclosure with this Toshiba drive
installed, and you connect the enclosure to the USB 3...
NewerTech Lightning Cables: Charging iPhone 6/6s in the Apple Smart Battery Case
PART NUMBERS
AFFECTED: https://eshop.macsales.com/search/Lightning+Cables
[https://eshop.macsales.com/search/Lightning+Cables]
(All Lightning cables regardless of brand, length, or color are
relevant to this article.)
Note that if you are using an i...
USB Enclosures: Limitations when Creating Bootable Partitions
NOTE: if you are running OS X 10.11 or later, your Disk Utility
interface will look different than the one shown below. For more
information on creating partitions in 10.11, please click here
[http://eshop.macsales.com/tech_center/formatting/Mac_Formattin...
SoftRAID: Uninstalling the Driver and Other Components
Occasionally customers will attempt to uninstall or remove SoftRAID
components with third party utilities like AppCleaner. OWC strongly
discourages this practice as it can lead to problems. A better way to
remove SoftRAID system components is to use the b...
Boot Camp: Installing on High Capacity Disks
PROBLEM
Mac owners using disks that exceed 2.2TB may find it difficult to set
up a Windows disk using Apple's Boot Camp assistant. The root cause of
the problem is that the Boot Camp Assistant uses the FAT32 format when
setting up a Windows disk. The en...
Apple: 2013 Mac Pro - CPU Upgrade & Apple Diagnostics
Q: Will my 2013 Mac Pro pass Apple Diagnostics with a new CPU
installed?
A: Due to changes made in newer revisions of the EFI firmware for the
2013 Mac Pro, not all machines will pass Apple Diagnostics with a
processor upgrade installed. However, OWC pe...
USB-C Dock (All): Siri Microphone Input
When you connect the USB-C Dock to a Mac running OS 10.12, Siri's
default microphone input may automatically switch from the 'Internal
Microphone' setting to 'OWC USB-C Dock.' If you do not have a
microphone connected to the dock, you need to switch the M...
Thunderbolt 2 Dock: Siri Microphone Input
When you connect the Thunderbolt 2 Dock to a Mac running OS 10.12,
Siri's default microphone input may automatically switch from the
'Internal Microphone' setting to 'USB audio CODEC.' If you do not have
a microphone connected to the dock, you need to swi...
USB-C Dock (All): Mac Ethernet Driver
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCTCDK10PMDSG
* OWCTCDK10PMDSL
* OWCTCDK10PMDRG
* OWCTCDK10PMDGD
* OWCTCDOCK11PSG
* OWCTCDOCK11PSL
* OWCTCDOCK11PGD
* OWCTCDOCK11PRG
In order to use the Ethernet port, as of August 1, 2017 all Mac hosts
(includ...
Mercury Elite Pro Dual (U3/FW800): FireWire 800 and Yosemite
If a customer has a Mercury Elite Pro Dual
[https://www.owcdigital.com/products/external-storage/mercury-elite-pro-dual-overview]
(OWCMED3FR---), and the device will not mount when connected to a Mac
that is running 10.10 Yosemite, there may not be anythi...
USB-C Dock (All): Host Connection Issues (Apple cables)
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCTCDK10PMDSG
* OWCTCDK10PMDSL
* OWCTCDK10PMDRG
* OWCTCDK10PMDGD
* OWCTCDOCK11PSG
* OWCTCDOCK11PSL
* OWCTCDOCK11PGD
* OWCTCDOCK11PRG
If you have connected a MacBook or MacBook Pro host to the USB-C Dock
and are...
Mercury Elite Pro Dual: Seagate Drive Compatibility
Relevant Part Numbers:
OWCTB2U3MEDxxx
OWCMED3ERxxx
DRIVE MODEL:
ST8000NM0055
DRIVE PART:
1RM112-102
Currently the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual (Thunderbolt 2 / USB 3.1 Gen
1) and Elite Pro Dual (USB 3.1 Gen 1 / eSATA) are not compatible with
spe...
Sapphire 7950: Mac EFI Firmware Switch
RELEVANT PART NUMBER: SAP100352MAC2
If you are installing a Sapphire 7950 card into a Mac Pro tower for
use with OS X or macOS, be sure to set the Mac EFI Firmware switch to
the proper setting before using the card. See the image below for
reference...
NewerTech AdaptaDrive: Xserve Drive Trays
If you are using the NewerTech AdaptaDrive to seat a 2.5 inch SSD into
an Xserve drive bay, please use the drive tray that came with the
Xserve to ensure the AdaptaDrive and SSD are properly recognized and
available to the system....
Thunderbolt Docks (2 & 3): Driver Location
The Thunderbolt 2 Dock and Thunderbolt 3 Dock now use the same driver.
The current driver provides support the same set of devices as the
previous Thunderbolt 2 Dock driver. Originally, the driver was named
OWCThunderbolt2DockChargingSupport.kext. The n...
Mac: Repackaging Instructions
If you have purchased a custom upgrade or installation service for
your Mac from MacSales.com, or if an RMA has been set up and you need
to return your computer to us in the supplied box, use the guides
below to assist you in re-packaging your Mac for saf...
Mercury Elite Pro (U3/FW800): Seagate Drive Compatibility
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS: OWCME3QHKIT0GB, OWCME3QHKITSW
UPDATE: 08/25/17
Please note that the following drives should now work with the Mercury
Elite Pro enclosure, but only after a firmware fix has been applied by
OWC.
Please contact Customer ...
NewerTech USB 3 to Gigabit Ethernet: Mac Driver
RELEVANT PART: NWTADPU3GIGE
Please note that all Mac hosts must use the supplied driver
[http://www.newertech.com/downloads/nwtadpu3gigev1.zip] for this
device to function as intended. It is designed for Mac operating
systems 10.7.5 to 10.12.6. This art...
OWC SSDs (PCIe): Changing the Drive Icon
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
OWCSSDAB2MB02
OWCSSDAB2MB05
OWCSSDAB2MB10
OWCSSDA13MP1.0
OWCSSDA13MP2.0
OWCSSDA13MP4.0
OWCSSDPHWE2R120
OWCSSDPHWE2R240
OWCSSDPHWE2R480
OWCSSDPHWE2R960
BACKGROUND
Please note that when any of the drives listed above are in...
USB-C Dock (HDMI): MacBook & MacBook Pro Sleep Issues
AFFECTED SYSTEMS:
MacBook8,1
MacBook9,1
MacBook10,1
MacBookPro13,1
MacBookPro13,2
MacBookPro14,1
MacBookPro14,2
MacBookPro14,3
Some customers may notice when their MacBook or MacBook Pro enters
Sleep mode, that the computer loses its connection to ...
Thunderbolt 3 Cables: USB Error Message
When customers plug their Thunderbolt 3 cable (any brand) into a host
and device, they may see this error message:
"USB Accessories Disabled
Unplug the accessory using too much power to re-enable USB devices."
The best resolution is to try another...
macOS (10.13 and later): Unformatted Disks Not Visible
Because of how the Disk Utility is set up in macOS 10.13 and later, by
default unformatted drives will not appear in the sidebar list until
you choose View > Show All Devices....
Aura Pro X SSDs: 10.13 Requirement
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
OWCS3DAPB4MB02
OWCS3DAPB4MB05
OWCS3DAPB4MB10
OWCS3DAPB4MB20
OPERATING SYSTEM AND HOST REQUIREMENTS
* Please note that the Aura Pro X series of SSDs not only require
the use of macOS 10.13 High Sierra (or later) as the in...
Aura SSDs: Firmware Update (beta)
IMPORTANT:
* This firmware update process is beta status. Please be aware that
no firmware update process is 100% without risk, and that it is
important to follow the instructions as they are presented here. If
you have questions please contact our awa...
Mercury Accelsior Pro Q: 10.13 Driver Warning
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCSSDPHWQ480
* OWCSSDPHWQT1.0
* OWCSSDPHWQT2.0
Occasionally, customers running macOS 10.13 High Sierra may encounter
an issue with the Mercury Accelsior Pro Q, where the drive does not
appear to mount but is shown in...
NewerTech USB Display Adapters: Driver Notice
LAST UPDATED:
November 2, 2020
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* NWTVIDU3DVIA
* NWTVIDU3MDP
AS OF NOVEMBER 2, 2020, if you are using the NewerTech USB 3.0 to DVI
Video Adapter
[https://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/VIDU3DVIA/] or
the NewerTech U...
OWC ThunderBlade: Windows Unmount Behavior
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCTB3TBV4T1.0
* OWCTB3TBV4T2.0
* OWCTB3TBV4T4.0
* OWCTB3TBV4T8.0
Please be aware that due to circumstances beyond OWC's control, when
the ThunderBlade volume is ejected or unmounted from Windows 10, there
can be a subs...
Mercury SSDs (Electra 6G): Synthetic Benchmark Performance
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCSSD7E6G060
* OWCSSD7E6G120
* OWCS3D7E6G250
* OWCS3D7E6G500
* OWCS3D7E6GT1.0
* OWCSSD7E6G02S
Occasionally, customers will ask us why they see noticeable drops in
write performance when running a data-intensive...
OWC Drive Dock (All): Toshiba HDD Sleep Issue
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCTB2U3DKR2
* OWCU3DRVDCK2
* OWCTCDRVDCK
Please be aware that if you are booting from certain Toshiba 3.5 inch
HDDs you may not be able to use the Mac operating systems' sleep modes
as expected. In some cases the sys...
ThunderBay (Thunderbolt 3 Models): Drive Sleep Issue
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCTB36LRTxxx
* OWCTB36SRTxxx
* OWCTB36LRKIT0
* OWCTB36SRKIT0
* OWCTB3SRTxxxx
* OWCTB3IVTxxxx
* OWCTB3SRKIT0GB
* OWCTB3IVKIT0GB
Please note that we have recently verified an issue that may impact
your Thunde...
OWC Expansion Docks: Driver Security Warning Mac
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
OWCTB2DOCK12P
OWCTB3DK13PSL
OWCTB3DK13PSG
OWCTB3DK14PSL
OWCTB3DK14PSG
OWCTCDK10PMDSG
OWCTCDK10PMDSL
OWCTCDK10PMDRG
OWCTCDK10PMDGD
OWCTCDK10PMHSG
OWCTCDK10PMHSL
OWCTCDK10PMHRG
OWCTCDK10PMHGD
OWCTCDOCK11PSG
OWCTCDOCK11PSL...
Mac: 10.13 or later - Driver Warning
RELATED ARTICLE:
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCSSDPHWE2R240
* OWCSSDPHWE2R480
* OWCSSDPHWE2R960
* OWCSSDPHWE2R2UP
* NWTADPU3GIGE
* NWTMXPCIE6GRS4E
* J6GHPCI2E
Please note that if you install an OWC-provided driver for the above
noted p...
macOS (10.14): Disables AHT, Apple Diagnostics on Select Macs
Current as of April, 2020
AFFECTED MACS (CONFIRMED):
*
MacBookAir5,1
*
Macmini6,2
*
MacBookPro9,1
*
MacBookPro9,2
*
MacBookPro10,1
MAY ALSO BE IMPACTED:
* MacBookAir5,2
* Macmini6,1
* MacBookPro10,2
Please be aware that i...
Drive Dock (All): Mac Booting Behavior
PART NUMBERS:
* OWCTCDRVDCK (USB-C - 3.1 Gen 2)
* OWCTB2U3DKR2 (TB2, USB 3.1 Gen 1)
* OWCU3DRVDCKN (USB 3.1 Gen 1 only - Legacy)
Please note that depending on the type of Mac you're using, the
ability to Option-boot may require a slightly differe...
Mac: 2019 Mac Pro: Â Memory Configurations
Relevant Module Types / Base Modules:
* 'R DIMMS'
* OWC2933D4MP64G
* OWC2933D4MP32GB
* OWC2933D4MP16GB
* OWC2933D4MP8GB
* OWC2666D4MPE32G
* OWC2666D4MPE8GB
*
* 'LR DIMMS'
* OWC2933D4LR128G
* OWC2933D4LR64GB
* OWC2666D4LRE64G
...
NVMe SSDs: Standby Mode Issue
DRIVE TYPE: NVMe SSDs running macOS 10.13 or later (as boot volumes)
* Aura Pro X
* Aura Pro X2
* Aura N
* Aura N2 (available Q1 2021)
Please note that some customers have reported an issue with our NVMe
based SSDs that relates to use of a less...
USB-C, Thunderbolt Explained
The following articles have been posted on the Rocket Yard blog, to
help understand the similarities and differences between USB-C and
Thunderbolt 3, as well as new Thunderbolt 4 information.
* Should You Upgrade to USB-C?
[https://blog.macsales.com/5...
OWC Diagnostics: Multi-purpose Windows Utility
As of August 2020, we have expanded our OWC Diagnostics utility.
Previously this was available only through our Support Team but going
forward will be a publicly available download, as we continue to
expand its capabilities.
This utility makes it easy t...
RAM (OWC2666DDR4Sxxx): Pairing Modules for 2020 iMacs
Recently we determined that OWC RAM modules that are compatible with
the August 2020 iMac (iMac20,1 and iMac 20,2), will report and operate
at a lower speed (2133 MHz instead of 2666 MHz) when paired with
modules from other manufacturers, including Apple ...
Mac: 2013 Mac CPU Upgrade Installation Video
RELEVANT PART NUMBERS:
* OWCDIDMP13X1650
* OWCDIDMP13X1680
* OWCDIDMP13X2690
* OWCDIDMP13X2697
If you plan to purchase and install one of OWC's Intel Xeon CPU
upgrades for the 2013 Mac Pro (MacPro6,1) it is very important that
you follow the OW...
Envoy Express: SSD Compatibility Notes
RELEVANT PART NUMBER: OWCTB3ENVXP00
For MacSales-purchased enclosures that shipped prior to December 4,
2020, some THIRD PARTY M.2 SSDs may not work properly, even if their
specs match the general requirements. Since that time OWC began
applying a hardw...
Boot Camp: APFS Conversions
Due to a limitation with Apple's software, if a customer upgrades to
macOS 10.13 High Sierra and their system drive is converted from HFS+
or some other format to APFS, afterward they will not be able to
create a Boot Camp partition on that drive using th...
iPad Pro (Thunderbolt) & MacBook Pro Mounting Issue
AFFECTED MODEL INFORMATION:
*
iPad Pro 11” April 2021 (iPad 13,4/ 13,5/ 13,6/ 13,7)
*
iPad Pro 12.9” April 2021 (iPad 13,8/13,9/13,10/13,11)
*
MacBook Pro 14” and 16” (MacBookPro 18,1/18,2/18,3/18,4)
2021 Thunderbolt iPad Pros are experienc...
Thunderbolt Daisy Chain
Daisy chaining over Thunderbolt has a six-device maximum per bus.
Refer to the manufacture specifications of your host to determine the
number of Thunderbolt buses and associated ports.
While Daisy chaining multiple Thunderbolt devices does allow for
a...
Power Adapter Troubleshooting
A devices power adapter should be considered for troubleshooting if
issues are being experienced. These issues can include, but not
limited to, no power to the device or inconsistent recognition of the
device by the host.
* Troubleshooting expected po...
USB Cable Standard and Speed Chart
* USB 1.0: _Capable of data transfer speeds of up to 12 Mb/sec.
This is not fast enough to use as a video cable connection. USB 1.0
carries an electrical current of 5 volts (V), 0.5 amps (A), and a max
power of 2.5 watts (W), which is not enough power to...
OWC Best Practice: Active Display Adapters
DETAILS
Display adapters bridge the connection between a computer’s Graphics
Processing Unit (GPU) and connected display. The adapter allows
connecting displays with differing video connections beyond the
connections offered on the computer. A display ad...
Mercury Elite Pro Dual (3-Port Hub): Sleep Firmware Update
RELEVANT PART NUMBER:
* OWC MERCURY ELITE PRO DUAL 3-PORT HUB: OWCMEDCH7---
Users may experience the drives of the OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual
3-Port Hub not being recognized by the host system when waking from
sleep. Users who have this experience c...
OWC Best Practice: Choosing the Best NVMe SSD for the OWC Express 1M2
RELEVANT PART NUMBER
* OWCUS4EXP1M2
DETAILS
The OWC Express 1M2 can reach speeds over 3100 MB/s. However, the host
computer and the quality of the NVMe SSD selected will cause variance
with performance. The OWC testing lab reviewed dozens of NVMe SSD...
1-800-275-4576