Z8 G4 - USB Type-C Controller Firmware Update failed on below Controller(s): - HP Thunderbolt 3 card

[reprobyte]

HP Z8 G4 workstation. At startup I see this error message indicated for the TB card: "USB Type-C Controller Firmware Update failed on below Controller(s): - HP Thunderbolt 3 card". I have the choice to continue booting or rebooting and trying the update again. Selecting the second option brings me to the same message. If I continue booting into Windows the card is not seen in Windows even after installing the TB driver. The card is not seen by the HP TB3 firmware update either. I have the card installed in slot1, the topmost slot, with the GPIO cable connecting to the TB3 header on the mainboard. I don't have the Displayport cables connected to my GPU. I also have the premium I/O module.

I see the question was asked before but not answered, does anyone know what can be done or what steps are needed to troubleshoot this?

[DGroves]

You must install the card into the correct PCIe slot, as follows. The slot closest to the
processor is slot 1.
• HP Z8 G4: PCIe slot 1
• HP Z6 G4: PCIe slot 6
• HP Z4 G4: PCIe slot 4

the TB cable between the card and motherboard header should be keyed on both ends to prevent wrong connections

i would also try resetting the bios back to factory defaults

until the card is seen by the system/bios you will obviously not be able to update the firmware on the TB card

[reprobyte]

Thanks I have the correct connections as the pinout is different both ends so not possible to connect wrong way, in slot 1.

Bios reset to factory settings is a good idea, I will try this next and report back thank you.

[reprobyte]

OK BIOS reset did not work, I am on the latest BIOS for the Z8 G4.
I also tried disabling front USB C ports, changing settings for Thunderbolt like Enumeration and Security and disable USB-C firmware update, nothing at all is working.

I have multiple of these cards, all brand new and none of them are working in the unit. I am at a total loss for what to do and I can't find any resources provided by HP for this error at all.

[reprobyte]

Very strangely I have managed to get the Thunderbolt device to actually work without the BIOS allowing it, BUT I still can't install firmware so still get the errors. This is strange behaviour.

[hvico]

Hello. Having the same issue here. HP Z6 G4 system, brand new thunderbolt 3 add-in card. 

I get the USB-C firmware update error,  then tried disabling that update from BIOS but the card does not work.

Did you find a way to make this work @Reprobyte? Thanks!

[reprobyte]

I installed sp135935.exe and sp145461.exe and this allows the thunderbolt card to work for my Sandisk Pro Dock 4 at least, as long as its connected at bootup, but if I disconnect it at all then I have to reboot the entire machine.

I don't know about graphics.

The firmware error happens on both bootup and also at the point of trying to update with file in windows.

I think it's really bad that HP provides zero documentation on this error and refuses to even answer their own customers. I am thinking of leaving HP altogether now and building my own machine again from scratch. I thought buying a prebuilt was supposed to save time, not cause unfixable problems.

[hvico]

Thanks for the response. I will test that on my own setup, I mainly use Ubuntu Linux 22 and issuing a lspci command I don't even see a Thunderbolt card present at all. But if I enable the firmware update setting on the EFI setup I get the same error as you.

I will later try an eGPU to see if it works booting with the card attached, but I don't really think it will.

I have a generic Gigabyte-mobo based PC with a Titan Ridge TB3 add-in card and it works perfectly well, so I am also really dissapointed as well with HP on this matter. Also the PSU connectors are much more versatile on the generic PC, here everything is limited by what HP wants you to use, had to buy some adapters to attach my internal 7900XTX GPU, and remove the front fan encasing as it won't fit.

[BeardedOwl]

I had the same issue with a card purchased off ebay.  It appeared new and genuine.  After working with HP support for weeks, I ordered another card from an HP reseller.  The 2nd card looked the same but the stickers were a little different but the card worked and the bios was able to update the firmware to the latest.  It seemed like the first card never had any firmware loaded on it to start with as it always read 0000 for firmware version.  Another note, if you have the premium I/O (2xUSB-C) on the front, there is a firmware update that must be applied first before installing the TB card.

[reprobyte]

I spoke to HP support and they told me to just disable the USB C firmware update option and it should work, after this I have used the card for all thunderbolt stuff at full speeds without any issue, and devices are seen in Thunderbolt control center, I never had to actually do the firmware update in the end, just ignoring it was enough to get it to work.

Oh and I also tweaked the thunderbolt settings in the BIOS can’t remember what settings they were