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...storage. USB-C storage. Because they don't support S.M.A.R.T.

Nothing to do with USB-C. Everything to do with storage. Click-baity title.

Agreed. The fact that macs don’t (and never have) supported SMART over USB is interesting, but the article doesn’t really live up to the title - no real explanation of “why”, and the M1 and USB-C bits are irrelevant.

Really, it sounds like the title should be “FYI - Apple doesn’t support SMART over USB”. Or “Apple’s USB mass storage driver is incomplete — PLEASEFIX.”

I’d be interested to know the answer. But given that the original solution was to use a custom kernel extension, I’m more inclined to believe that the answer is — Apple didn’t think anyone would need it.

The article says SMART is supported over thunderbolt but not over USB.

As far as I understood Thunderbolt doesn't require the problematic kernel extension OP was using.

Right, but it's nothing to do with M1 or USB-C, it's any Mac regardless of CPU architecture and any USB external drive regardless of connector.

Apple's USB Mass Storage driver is incomplete. That's the actual problem.

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