USB device not found error (potential macOS 15 issue?)

PyLabRobot User Discussion
1

Hey all, went into the lab today to do some testing on our Hamilton and was presented with a new fatal error upon calling setup():

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
RuntimeError                              Traceback (most recent call last)
Cell In[3], line 2
      1 ## Connect to robot
----> 2 await lh.setup()

File ~/Documents/FutureHouse/Lab/Automation/pylabrobot/pylabrobot/liquid_handling/liquid_handler.py:144, in LiquidHandler.setup(self, **backend_kwargs)
    141   raise RuntimeError("The setup has already finished. See `LiquidHandler.stop`.")
    143 self.backend.set_deck(self.deck)
--> 144 await super().setup(**backend_kwargs)
    146 self.head = {c: TipTracker(thing=f"Channel {c}") for c in range(self.backend.num_channels)}
    147 self.head96 = {c: TipTracker(thing=f"Channel {c}") for c in range(96)}

File ~/Documents/FutureHouse/Lab/Automation/pylabrobot/pylabrobot/machines/machine.py:63, in Machine.setup(self, **backend_kwargs)
     62 async def setup(self, **backend_kwargs):
---> 63   await self.backend.setup(**backend_kwargs)
     64   self._setup_finished = True

File ~/Documents/FutureHouse/Lab/Automation/pylabrobot/pylabrobot/liquid_handling/backends/hamilton/STAR.py:1226, in STAR.setup(self)
   1220 async def setup(self):
   1221   """ setup
   1222 
   1223   Creates a USB connection and finds read/write interfaces.
   1224   """
-> 1226   await super().setup()
...
--> 203   raise RuntimeError("USB device not found.")
    204 if len(devices) > 1:
    205   logging.warning("Multiple devices found. Using the first one.")

RuntimeError: USB device not found.

I have a suspicion that this may be related to changes to USB permissions with macOS 15 Sequoia, which I updated to the other day (perhaps inadvisably) but that is only supported by the timing related to the OS update.

I’ve tried on two different STARlets with the same result, as well as two different USB adapters and cables. All of which I have used successfully in the last couple weeks. I’m also updated to the latest PLR.

2 Likes
2

I should say that I can see the adapter when it’s plugged in via System Information, though I do not see a device (STARlet) - I don’t recall if I should be able to see the STARlet as a separate device attached along with the adapter in the Sys Info app or not.

3

could you share output of lsusb? look for 0x8af iirc

4

Here you go:

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 05ac:100e Apple Inc. USB3.0 Hub 
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 05ac:100f Apple Inc. USB2.0 Hub 
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 05ac:1460 Apple Inc. USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter  Serial: DLC850405FDG2KQAY
Bus 000 Device 000: ID 05ac:100e Apple Inc. USB 3.1 Bus 
Bus 000 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
5

looks like star is not connected / not turned on

6

or perhaps just not visible to usb driver

7

Right, which is why I’m confused.

I’m using the same computer I always use for PLR on these machines, and I can guarantee you the STARlets are turned on and plugged in. I’ve turned them off and on and unplugged/plugged them in a couple times now to make sure. I can see the light on the power button.

I also used them successfully just last week. The only change I can think of is that I’ve updated to macOS 15 in the intervening time, and they may have updated USB permissions in a way that broke things?

I’m working on getting PLR installed on another computer that is not updated to macOS 15 to see if that’s the issue.

1 Like
8

Ok I just plugged the STARlet into the non-updated computer and looked at the USB Devices in Sys Info and I can in fact see the ML STAR as a device with vendor ID 0x08af.

So something has happened, seemingly with macOS 15, that broke my computers ability to see the STARlet. I can still see other USB devices that I have around.

2 Likes
9

Very curious thank you for sharing

1 Like
10

One more quick update:

I’ve tested now with two other computers that were updated to macOS 15 and all have the same problem - no ML STAR visible via USB.

Other computers not yet updated see it just fine.

Pretty confident this is indeed a macOS 15 issue. I have no idea how to even start thinking about a fix so I’m just going to get up and running with a non-updated computer.

2 Likes