There may be a better way but I always go back to what I know is reliable

[Project Alice]

Hey everyone, I know its been awhile. I hope everyone’s doing great! I used to be a lot more active on this forum, but life gets in the way. I still lurk occasionally. But in all honesty I’ve hardly used a computer the past couple years, I find myself using my iPad Pro (2021 M1 11”) for most tasks.

This is silly, but its something I thought I’d share. I have an NAS (running on a Mac Pro 5,1 with TrueNAS, for those interested). It holds pretty much all my stuff. Movies, TV Shows, Apps for all platforms most of which are PPC. I’ve actually got a clone of the Garden I took back in probably 2018 on there. Anyway, it’s also my Plex server.

Over the past couple years there’s a relatively odd problem I haven’t been able to solve, or rather have the patience or motivation to look into it much deeper than I already have. My main computer outside the iPad, is another Mac Pro 5,1. It runs good, its super fast for my uses anyway. But there has been one constant problem. I’m not sure if its the Mac Pro, the OS, or what (I’m leaning towards the SSD or the PCIe adapter its in).
Anyway, excuse my ramblings. The problem is I can almost never transfer large files to my NAS from this Mac Pro (the problem also occasionally occurs on the iPad). If I try to copy, say an 8GB file. It might work. But, 7/10 times it doesn’t. It gets about 70% of the way, and fails. Sometimes the server disconnects, sometimes macOS just gives me a weird error but my server stays connected. It happens in Sanoma, and Mojave.

Tonight I needed to copy a rather large TV Series to add to Plex. I got a couple episodes, and had to restart one of the transfers. Instead of sitting and watching it more than likely fail and get irritated, I remembered this NEVER happens on any of my old Macs. So, I copied the files to a USB SSD, and plugged it into my iMac G5. The iMac G5 has been at it for about 40 minutes transferring a total of about 50GB of 4K HDR content. Its slow over USB 2.0. But it works. I won’t have to sit and watch it. It’s always been reliable.


I’m not looking for advice or anything here, just one of those times I felt like sharing. Probably not the most efficient use of a PPC Mac, but just funny how such a simple task (at least for me) is for some reason best done on an almost 20 year old computer.

 

[MBAir2010]

Hey everyone, I know its been awhile. I hope everyone’s doing great! I used to be a lot more active on this forum, but life gets in the way. I still lurk occasionally. But in all honesty I’ve hardly used a computer the past couple years, I find myself using my iPad Pro (2021 M1 11”) for most tasks.

I really enjoy post like these, heartfelt and unique!

How is the PPC experience in 2024? Those processors were slow back then and "40 minutes transferring a total of about 50GB" was unheard of in 2004 since the drive space did not exist.

Lately my main computer is a MacbookPro 2012 which needs a better media service to replace airplay and Plex might be that alternative.

Sorry i could not help or add helpful information to your wonderful post.

 

[for this]

I always blame SATA connectors for this kind of problem. Compared to USB connectors, they are so stupidly designed: too short/shallow for the thickness (wobbling prone), wrapped around by plastic instead of metal (too easy to get stretched).

 

[Project Alice]

I really enjoy post like these, heartfelt and unique!

How is the PPC experience in 2024? Those processors were slow back then and "40 minutes transferring a total of about 50GB" was unheard of in 2004 since the drive space did not exist.

They are still useable for anything that you could use them for back then, with period correct software anyway.

The bottleneck here was USB 2.0. I could’ve used another Mac with a FW800 port but my only enclosures with FW800 are in use plus I didn’t want to take the time to open them and swap the SSD in.

I always blame SATA connectors for this kind of problem. Compared to USB connectors, they are so stupidly designed: too short/shallow for the thickness (wobbling prone), wrapped around by plastic instead of metal (too easy to get stretched).

My Mac Pro is booting off an NVMe. It does randomly freeze but not enough for me to really care. I eventually will be get another PCIe adapter for the SSD. The one I’m using is cheap. That’s assuming the SSD itself isn’t misbehaving.

 

[MBAir2010]

They are still useable for anything that you could use them for back then, with period correct software anyway.

The bottleneck here was USB 2.0. I could’ve used another Mac with a FW800 port but my only enclosures with FW800 are in use plus I didn’t want to take the time to open them and swap the SS

Oh those firewire ports and cables were speical! i don't think they sell those on OWC anymore, and i donated my chords last decade although 2.0 is still slow but worthy.

I used a 12" Powerbook g4 for web design in 2004 to 2007, Dreamweaver and PS CS3
then as a freelance graphic design. jeez,how slow that was but that did the job!
i also had a iMacG3 i would tote around before that PB G4 purchase.
then, those small thumb 4GB drives introduced in 2007 were a lifesaver!
i still search for that PBg4 model since i might have that CS3 somewhere
on a Time Machine back up on a 3" disk.

hopefully in July i can only use my recently dusted off MBP'12 and Mountain lion only, with SeaLion.
besides an iPad for drawing comics.

my goal and need is to take a break from 's latest tech since i feel swarmed... somehow lately.

wel have fun with the PPC world!

 

[Project Alice]

Oh those firewire ports and cables were speical! i don't think they sell those on OWC anymore, and i donated my chords last decade although 2.0 is still slow but worthy.

I used a 12" Powerbook g4 for web design in 2004 to 2007, Dreamweaver and PS CS3
then as a freelance graphic design. jeez,how slow that was but that did the job!
i also had a iMacG3 i would tote around before that PB G4 purchase.
then, those small thumb 4GB drives introduced in 2007 were a lifesaver!
i still search for that PBg4 model since i might have that CS3 somewhere
on a Time Machine back up on a 3" disk.

hopefully in July i can only use my recently dusted off MBP'12 and Mountain lion only, with SeaLion.
besides an iPad for drawing comics.

my goal and need is to take a break from 's latest tech since i feel swarmed... somehow lately.

wel have fun with the PPC world!

Those PowerBooks turn up occasionally. I’ve got three I think lol.

 

[eyoungren]

Hey everyone, I know its been awhile. I hope everyone’s doing great! I used to be a lot more active on this forum, but life gets in the way. I still lurk occasionally. But in all honesty I’ve hardly used a computer the past couple years, I find myself using my iPad Pro (2021 M1 11”) for most tasks.

This is silly, but its something I thought I’d share. I have an NAS (running on a Mac Pro 5,1 with TrueNAS, for those interested). It holds pretty much all my stuff. Movies, TV Shows, Apps for all platforms most of which are PPC. I’ve actually got a clone of the Garden I took back in probably 2018 on there. Anyway, it’s also my Plex server.

Over the past couple years there’s a relatively odd problem I haven’t been able to solve, or rather have the patience or motivation to look into it much deeper than I already have. My main computer outside the iPad, is another Mac Pro 5,1. It runs good, its super fast for my uses anyway. But there has been one constant problem. I’m not sure if its the Mac Pro, the OS, or what (I’m leaning towards the SSD or the PCIe adapter its in).
Anyway, excuse my ramblings. The problem is I can almost never transfer large files to my NAS from this Mac Pro (the problem also occasionally occurs on the iPad). If I try to copy, say an 8GB file. It might work. But, 7/10 times it doesn’t. It gets about 70% of the way, and fails. Sometimes the server disconnects, sometimes macOS just gives me a weird error but my server stays connected. It happens in Sanoma, and Mojave.

Tonight I needed to copy a rather large TV Series to add to Plex. I got a couple episodes, and had to restart one of the transfers. Instead of sitting and watching it more than likely fail and get irritated, I remembered this NEVER happens on any of my old Macs. So, I copied the files to a USB SSD, and plugged it into my iMac G5. The iMac G5 has been at it for about 40 minutes transferring a total of about 50GB of 4K HDR content. Its slow over USB 2.0. But it works. I won’t have to sit and watch it. It’s always been reliable.
View attachment 2392557

I’m not looking for advice or anything here, just one of those times I felt like sharing. Probably not the most efficient use of a PPC Mac, but just funny how such a simple task (at least for me) is for some reason best done on an almost 20 year old computer.

You might look into your NAS settings on the MP running the NAS. Here's why I say that…

Last year, everyone at my job were running 2015 MBPs with High Sierra. I work from home as do some of my coworkers. That means a VPN connection to the work NAS. The NAS was set up with both SMB and AFP sharing. Because Apple has been deprecating AFP, I've used SMB since around early 2020 when I started WFH. Except for a few wonky things which I knew about and could work around everything was fine. Large file copies over SMB - no problem.

Come August 2024, everyone is issued new 2023 M2 MBPs running Ventura. Now, that's not the only thing that happens. I have no proof, but I believe the NAS got reconfigured, updated or both. The person who originally set up the NAS is long gone (died of COVID in 2020) and we're now dealing with an outsourced IT company. Another person mentioned to me later on that the IT company had setup the NAS.

Anyway, from that point forward, SMB connections aren't handling large file copies. The exact same thing you describe happens to me (us). Go to copy a large file, get a disconnect. So, I had to switch to using AFP, despite the fact that Apple has deprecated it.

The kicker here is that even with AFP, I cannot overwrite files or copy them from one folder to another. It writes the first file and then stops with an error. I have to copy them to my desktop and then back to the NAS.

I am not the only one with this issue - and the common denominator between us all is that the NAS changed. It's not Ventura, or Sonoma (which I am on now) or our Macs. It's the NAS.

So, that's my suggestion - to check your NAS filesharing protocol settings.

PS. Nice to hear from you again.

 

[Project Alice]

You might look into your NAS settings on the MP running the NAS. Here's why I say that…

Last year, everyone at my job were running 2015 MBPs with High Sierra. I work from home as do some of my coworkers. That means a VPN connection to the work NAS. The NAS was set up with both SMB and AFP sharing. Because Apple has been deprecating AFP, I've used SMB since around early 2020 when I started WFH. Except for a few wonky things which I knew about and could work around everything was fine. Large file copies over SMB - no problem.

Come August 2024, everyone is issued new 2023 M2 MBPs running Ventura. Now, that's not the only thing that happens. I have no proof, but I believe the NAS got reconfigured, updated or both. The person who originally set up the NAS is long gone (died of COVID in 2020) and we're now dealing with an outsourced IT company. Another person mentioned to me later on that the IT company had setup the NAS.

Anyway, from that point forward, SMB connections aren't handling large file copies. The exact same thing you describe happens to me (us). Go to copy a large file, get a disconnect. So, I had to switch to using AFP, despite the fact that Apple has deprecated it.

The kicker here is that even with AFP, I cannot overwrite files or copy them from one folder to another. It writes the first file and then stops with an error. I have to copy them to my desktop and then back to the NAS.

I am not the only one with this issue - and the common denominator between us all is that the NAS changed. It's not Ventura, or Sonoma (which I am on now) or our Macs. It's the NAS.

So, that's my suggestion - to check your NAS filesharing protocol settings.

PS. Nice to hear from you again.

I've looked it at, and I couldn't find anything weird. I also haven't been updating the NAS very often because TrueNAS has said they'll be removing AFP altogether. For obvious reasons, I want to keep AFP around. I'll be updating to whatever the last version that has AFP and keep it there.

I had originally thought it probably was the NAS, but other devices haven't ever had the problem (except it occurred on my iPad once, but that involves a thunderbolt\USB hub I use with an ethernet port, which I'm pretty sure uses a realtek chip)
I have had the disconnect happen on the Mac Pro under both Mojave and Sanoma presently. It occurred on Ventura and Monterey too. Mojave and Sanoma are on the same SSD. It happens with SMB and AFP. But it's also totally random. Sometimes I can get a copy through, but most time I can't. As far as I can tell, the issue hasn't presented itself on Windows on the same Mac Pro. I don't often do transfers from there, but the last time I did was when I went from 10 under CSM to 11 EFI under opencore. I copied all my steam library, and rather extensive collection of Fallout 4 mods. I don't remember how big that transfer was but it was well over 100GB. It just makes me think something is up with Mac OS on that Mac Pro, and the only variable that makes sense there is the SSD\PCIe card.

Very rarely it will freeze or hang sometimes. Not like with network transfers but just in general. A couple of months ago I shut it down and it hung for 20 minutes on a spinning wheel on a black background til I noticed and held the power button. When I turned it back on I was greeted with the "your computer was shutdown because of a problem" message. Which indicates a KP I think.

 

[eyoungren]

I've looked it at, and I couldn't find anything weird. I also haven't been updating the NAS very often because TrueNAS has said they'll be removing AFP altogether. For obvious reasons, I want to keep AFP around. I'll be updating to whatever the last version that has AFP and keep it there.

I had originally thought it probably was the NAS, but other devices haven't ever had the problem (except it occurred on my iPad once, but that involves a thunderbolt\USB hub I use with an ethernet port, which I'm pretty sure uses a realtek chip)
I have had the disconnect happen on the Mac Pro under both Mojave and Sanoma presently. It occurred on Ventura and Monterey too. Mojave and Sanoma are on the same SSD. It happens with SMB and AFP. But it's also totally random. Sometimes I can get a copy through, but most time I can't. As far as I can tell, the issue hasn't presented itself on Windows on the same Mac Pro. I don't often do transfers from there, but the last time I did was when I went from 10 under CSM to 11 EFI under opencore. I copied all my steam library, and rather extensive collection of Fallout 4 mods. I don't remember how big that transfer was but it was well over 100GB. It just makes me think something is up with Mac OS on that Mac Pro, and the only variable that makes sense there is the SSD\PCIe card.

Very rarely it will freeze or hang sometimes. Not like with network transfers but just in general. A couple of months ago I shut it down and it hung for 20 minutes on a spinning wheel on a black background til I noticed and held the power button. When I turned it back on I was greeted with the "your computer was shutdown because of a problem" message. Which indicates a KP I think.

I wouldn't be surprised if there was an issue with the OS. When we started having problems with the NAS, I went so far as to use the old 2015 MBP to connect to the VPN and then shared the connection to the M2. At the time I was more under the impression that I was having issues with the VPN itself (which prompted my update to Sonoma). Of course the IT people are basically Windows/PC. Between me and the guy I deal with, I seem to know more on a practical level than he does. So, fixing anything isn't going to come from him. If it happens, it'll be because I tripped over it in the dark.

But if the problem is of Apple's making, then it's interesting. They deprecate AFP in favor of SMB, but SMB doesn't work and AFP does.

 

[splifingate]

Sounds like the nvme on the 5,1 is thermal throttling . . . does it have a HS attached? Good airflow?

 

[Project Alice]

But if the problem is of Apple's making, then it's interesting. They deprecate AFP in favor of SMB, but SMB doesn't work and AFP does.

Yeah I don't really understand that choice. I like AFP a lot more. My NAS does do SMB, for Windows and whatever else. But AFP is just so much easier to deal with IMO.

Sounds like the nvme on the 5,1 is thermal throttling . . . does it have a HS attached? Good airflow?

Oh? I guess that could be. It doesn't have a heatsink. The airflow I feel like is fine as the MP has a fan that's always on the PCIe slots. But all the slots are populated, and I'm sure my RX 590 produces a bit of heat in there. I have The GPU, a USB 3.0 card, a wifi card (which I should take out I don't use it) and the NVMe.

 

[splifingate]

Oh? I guess that could be. It doesn't have a heatsink. The airflow I feel like is fine as the MP has a fan that's always on the PCIe slots. But all the slots are populated, and I'm sure my RX 590 produces a bit of heat in there. I have The GPU, a USB 3.0 card, a wifi card (which I should take out I don't use it) and the NVMe.

simple nvme heatsinks are really cheap, and worthwhile . . . easily worth the try

 

[eyoungren]

I'm sure my RX 590 produces a bit of heat in there.

If you're using this MP only as a NAS, why not run it headless? Set it to autologin on boot and turn on Remote Management.

 

[Project Alice]

If you're using this MP only as a NAS, why not run it headless? Set it to autologin on boot and turn on Remote Management.

Oh that MP isn't a NAS. The one with the 590 is my main computer. I have another 5,1 that's a NAS. It has a GT120 in it and basically runs headless unless I need something. It doesn't even have Mac OS on it. It's TrueNAS which is a custom FreeBSD.

 

[redheeler]

Hey everyone, I know its been awhile. I hope everyone’s doing great! I used to be a lot more active on this forum, but life gets in the way. I still lurk occasionally. But in all honesty I’ve hardly used a computer the past couple years, I find myself using my iPad Pro (2021 M1 11”) for most tasks.

This is silly, but its something I thought I’d share. I have an NAS (running on a Mac Pro 5,1 with TrueNAS, for those interested). It holds pretty much all my stuff. Movies, TV Shows, Apps for all platforms most of which are PPC. I’ve actually got a clone of the Garden I took back in probably 2018 on there. Anyway, it’s also my Plex server.

Over the past couple years there’s a relatively odd problem I haven’t been able to solve, or rather have the patience or motivation to look into it much deeper than I already have. My main computer outside the iPad, is another Mac Pro 5,1. It runs good, its super fast for my uses anyway. But there has been one constant problem. I’m not sure if its the Mac Pro, the OS, or what (I’m leaning towards the SSD or the PCIe adapter its in).
Anyway, excuse my ramblings. The problem is I can almost never transfer large files to my NAS from this Mac Pro (the problem also occasionally occurs on the iPad). If I try to copy, say an 8GB file. It might work. But, 7/10 times it doesn’t. It gets about 70% of the way, and fails. Sometimes the server disconnects, sometimes macOS just gives me a weird error but my server stays connected. It happens in Sanoma, and Mojave.

Tonight I needed to copy a rather large TV Series to add to Plex. I got a couple episodes, and had to restart one of the transfers. Instead of sitting and watching it more than likely fail and get irritated, I remembered this NEVER happens on any of my old Macs. So, I copied the files to a USB SSD, and plugged it into my iMac G5. The iMac G5 has been at it for about 40 minutes transferring a total of about 50GB of 4K HDR content. Its slow over USB 2.0. But it works. I won’t have to sit and watch it. It’s always been reliable.
View attachment 2392557

I’m not looking for advice or anything here, just one of those times I felt like sharing. Probably not the most efficient use of a PPC Mac, but just funny how such a simple task (at least for me) is for some reason best done on an almost 20 year old computer.

Love the old Aqua progress bar. OS X (Snow) Leopard had the nicest UI design language of any desktop OS in history.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Welcome back @Project Alice