A full-featured macOS application for managing Drobo DAS (Direct Attached Storage) devices, with support for Linux filesystems (ext3/ext4) and comprehensive file browsing capabilities.
Note: Drobo, Inc. ceased operations in 2023. This tool helps legacy Drobo owners continue using their devices with modern macOS.
- USB Device Detection - Real-time monitoring of Drobo connect/disconnect via IOKit
- Volume Enumeration - Automatic discovery of all partitions via DiskArbitration
- Storage Visibility Tracking - Visual progression from USB → Block Device → Volume → Mounted
- Paragon extFS Integration - Native read-write mounting for ext3/ext4 filesystems
- ext4fuse Fallback - Read-only mounting when Paragon isn't available
- Automatic Detection - Identifies the best available driver automatically
- Capacity Overview - Progress bars showing used/free space with color-coded warnings
- Drive Bay View - Visual representation of Drobo's 5-bay physical layout
- Pie Chart Breakdown - Donut chart showing volume distribution
- Full Navigation - Browse folders with breadcrumb navigation, back/forward/up
- Search - Find files by name within mounted volumes
- Quick Look - Preview files using macOS Quick Look
- File Operations (when mounted read-write):
- Copy files to Drobo (drag & drop supported)
- Delete files and folders
- Rename files and folders
- Create new folders
- Reveal in Finder - Open any file location in Finder
- System Analysis - Collects diskutil output and system logs
- Issue Detection - Identifies common problems with recommendations
- Export Bundle - Creates timestamped ZIP files for troubleshooting
DroboBridge is designed with data safety as the primary concern:
- NEVER formats, erases, or initializes disks
- NEVER modifies partition tables or filesystem structures
- ALWAYS mounts volumes in read-only mode by default
- ALWAYS validates commands before execution
- ALWAYS requires explicit confirmation for write operations
If macOS shows an "Initialize Disk" dialog when you connect your Drobo:
- Click "Ignore" or "Eject"
- NEVER click "Initialize" - this will erase all your data
- Use DroboBridge to mount the volume safely
- macOS 13.0 (Ventura) or later
- Xcode 15.0 or later (for building from source)
Choose one of the following:
| Option | Access | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paragon extFS | Read-Write | $39 | Recommended - native macOS integration |
| ext4fuse + macFUSE | Read-Only | Free | Requires kernel extension approval |
Download the latest release from the Releases page.
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/ringo380/DroboBridge.git
cd DroboBridge
# Generate Xcode project
xcodegen generate
# Build with Xcode
xcodebuild -scheme DroboBridge -configuration Release buildcd DroboBridge
swift build -c releaseConnect your Drobo via USB and launch DroboBridge.
- Verify connection status shows "Drobo Connected"
- Review storage visualization and drive bay status
- Check for any warnings or issues
Go to the Volumes tab:
- Select a volume from the list
- Choose mount mode:
- Read-Only (default, safe) - Green indicator
- Read-Write (requires Paragon) - Blue indicator
- Click Mount
Go to the Files tab:
- Select a mounted volume from the sidebar
- Navigate folders, search for files
- Use context menu for file operations
- Drag & drop files to copy (when mounted R/W)
If you encounter issues:
- Go to Diagnostics tab
- Click "Run Diagnostics"
- Export the bundle for troubleshooting
DroboBridge/
├── Sources/
│ ├── App/ # App entry point
│ ├── Models/ # Data models
│ │ ├── USBDevice.swift
│ │ ├── BlockDevice.swift
│ │ ├── VolumeInfo.swift
│ │ └── ...
│ ├── Services/ # Core services
│ │ ├── DroboDeviceWatcher.swift # USB monitoring
│ │ ├── DiskCorrelator.swift # Device correlation
│ │ ├── MountController.swift # Mount operations
│ │ ├── Ext4FuseController.swift # Linux FS support
│ │ ├── FileOperationsService.swift # File operations
│ │ └── SafetyGuard.swift # Safety validation
│ ├── State/
│ │ └── DroboStorageCoordinator.swift
│ ├── Views/
│ │ ├── Overview/ # Overview tab
│ │ ├── Mount/ # Volumes tab
│ │ ├── FileBrowser/ # Files tab
│ │ ├── Diagnostics/ # Diagnostics tab
│ │ └── Visualization/ # Charts and visualizations
│ └── Utilities/
│ └── Errors.swift
├── Tests/ # Unit tests
├── Package.swift # SPM manifest
├── project.yml # XcodeGen spec
└── DroboBridge.entitlements
- Check USB cable and try a different port
- Avoid USB hubs - connect directly to Mac
- Check Drobo power and LED status
- Wait 60+ seconds for Drobo initialization
- ext4 filesystem: Install Paragon extFS or ext4fuse
- "Unsupported filesystem": Check Diagnostics tab for details
- Permission denied: Grant Full Disk Access in System Settings
# Install macFUSE first
brew install macfuse
# Then install ext4fuse
brew install gromgit/fuse/ext4fuse-mac
# Restart Mac and approve kernel extension in:
# System Settings → Privacy & Security- Run Diagnostics
- Click "Export" and save the ZIP file
- The bundle contains only system info, no personal data
- macOS only - Requires macOS 13+ with IOKit and DiskArbitration
- No BeyondRAID manipulation - Cannot reconstruct arrays from individual disks
- No firmware updates - Use Drobo Dashboard for firmware management
- Drobo-specific - Designed for Drobo devices, may work with other USB storage
Contributions are welcome! Please read our Contributing Guidelines before submitting a pull request.
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
- Inspired by drobo-utils for Linux
- Uses Apple's IOKit and DiskArbitration frameworks
- ZIPFoundation for export functionality
- XcodeGen for project generation
This project is not affiliated with Drobo, Inc. or any of its successors. Use at your own risk. Always maintain backups of important data.