I have been using Arduino 2.3.0 for about a week. My "host" computer is an Apple MacBook Pro M1 Max, running macOS Sonoma, 14.2.1. It's running natively on Apple Silicon. The Arduino is connected directly to the Mac (no hub).
The first time I tried uploading a sketch to a Nano 33 BLE it caused a total crash of the host computer. Total spontaneous restart. Macs almost never do that, so there was obviously something odd going on.
Today I upgraded to Arduino 2.3.2 as I'm now actively working on a new sketch and don't want the same to happen. Over the course of about 7 uploads I've had this same flash of magenta on the screen and a total restart. It's very alarming, and frankly, should not happen.
The crash report is not directly saveable, but says the crash is caused by a panic
It seems that on a Mac, no drivers are required, however, on some versions a 'Network Preferences' dialog might be opened. Not quite sure how that would relate to USB, but I gather that this dialogue includes both Bluetooth and WiFi devices. I suspect therefore that a new device is sensed and the dialog opens to invite you to configure it. More info here:
I imagine you are likely to be using WiFi, but perhaps you might want to check whether Bluetooth is OK? Is the radio/service turned on and is it working properly? Its only wild speculation on my part, but I am wondering whether one possibility is that Bluetooth auto-detection is causing the crash?
It looks like the 33 BLE implements the UART on a Nordic nRF52840 chip for which, it would seem, no driver is required as the Mac apparently supports it out of the box. I presume you are getting a serial port since you must be selecting it in the IDE? Are you able to make a terminal connection to the BLE? (Obviously since its not programmed, there will be no output.) Have you also tried a different USB cable?
Some crash information may be recorded in the system log?
Ok, I m throwing out a few seemingly random ideas, but the question is whether this is related to the IDE, or to the driver which would be called when opening a connection to the board, such as when flashing it. As you point out, a program might hang and the process would then have to be terminated, but this should not cause a system crash. However a faulty/corrupt driver just might.
But I'm not sure if any are applicable. I'm not using WiFi nor Bluetooth. In fact I'm using a slightly modified version of an established Arduino (rorstandard) to implement the functions of a roll-off-roof astronomical observatory. Part of the IndiLib system.
I haven't seen this dialog (probably because I'm neither using WiFi nor Bluetooth).
I searched the system log before my post as I wasn't very comfortable with reporting a non-saveable crash report. But there is nothing.
So thanks for the tips, but I'm afraid I'm still in the dark and, as you agree, total system crashes just should not happen except in in very unusual (and hard to trace) circumstances.
Thanks,
Richard
PS: terminal: it works most of the time, so, for example now, after a Mac restart and reprogramming the Arduino, it's happily playing its part in my (simulated) observatory and moving the roof as commanded.
PS2: due to the above, I don't think it's the USB cable.