HP Z2 Mini G4 does not recognize Thunderbolt External Drive

[jpd_az]

My new HP Z2 Mini G4 is having problems recognizing a Samsung Portable SSD X5 drive on the Thunderbolt 3 Flexible port. I had an issue with another external Thunderbolt 3 external drive (HP P800) on this system and I had the system board replaced and now it works. I have all BIOS, Firmware, and Drivers updated as per the HP Image Assistant software. This drive works fine on two other systems. Any ideas?

JohnD

[jpd_az]

Never mind. All of a sudden it started working. I brought up the TB sofware from the System Tray, looked at a few things in it, and then plugged the drive in again hoping a miracle might happen. Finally I got the Thunderbolt popup asking if I wanted to approve connecting the X5. I clicked "Always" and now it works. I am not sure what the problem was. That popup never came up before as it never recognized it. Aren't computers wonderful?

Thanks,

  JohnD

[jpd_az]

OK it worked for a while but is broken again. I also have the same problem with an external HP Thunderbolt 3 drive (P800). This is what it was doing before. Sometimes it would see the TB devices and sometimes it would not. I have no idea what is going on.

JohnD

[DGroves]

i would install the latest bios from the HP site and confirm you are using the latest thunderbolt driver also

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06137757

acording to the link above you can use the reference TBolt driver from intel

 Thunderbolt Driver package version 17.4.76.300 or later (HP Z4 G4, Z6 G4, Z8 G4 series workstations only)

the Intel NUC8i3BEK NUC uses this driver, so i would check that site for the latest driver  (it's the same)

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/126149/Intel-NUC-Kit-NUC8i3BEK

[jpd_az]

Thanks for your reply. I have the latest BIOS (01.01.08) and Thunderbolt software/driver package (17.4.76.300) installed. While it was working for a while, now it is no longer working consistently if at all with either of the external Thunderbolt 3 drives that I have. I just tried it now after starting the system and it recognized one of the drives. I let it sit for a few minutes, then ejected the drive. After waiting a few more minutes, I plugged it again and it was not recognized by the Thunderbolt software although Windows did recognize something was there as the little external device icon appeared on the Taskbar but no information showed on it. Both of these external Thunderbolt 3 drives have no problem on two other systems (a Dell XPS laptop and a Lenovo Yoga 730-15 laptop). The Dell laptop has v16 Thunderbolt software on it. I am not sure of what Thunderbolt software the Lenovo has as I don't have access to it right now. It would be whatever I loaded on it about two months ago. I am at a loss as to what is going on.

JohnD

[DGroves]

latest for your TBolt is  intel_thunderbolt_17.4.78.500 WHQL

https://www.station-drivers.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=353&func=fileinfo&id=3774&lan...

or you can DL it from intel, but the above link is quicker

[jpd_az]

Thanks,

  I will give it a try. I noticed that the Lenovo has an update of v17.4.77.13. It mentioned that it is related to Win 10 v1809 which may be the underlying problem. It is interesting that Intel does not have 17.4.xx available for their NUCs. I am convinced it is a TB software issue. It seems like it does not like to eject a drive and then shortly thereafter try to plug it in again. I waited a while, plugged the drive in again, and then it was recognized.

JohnD

[jpd_az · Accepted solution]

This was finally resolved by HP Support. It required a change in BIOS (disabling "Native PCIe Hot Plug") in Port Options.

JohnD