USB-C/Thunderbolt ports malfunctioning

[HomerSF]

My USB-C/Thunderbolt ports are malfunctioning every week or so. I have been able to recover functionality each time by resetting the embedded controller (holding down power button for >12 seconds). The malfunction varies:

- unable to charge

- external monitor/hub stops working

- external monitor stops working, but hub and attached peripherals (keyboard) continue to work

I notice a hardware error in Windows reliability monitor, but cannot decipher

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
Code: 1a8
Parameter 1: 8
Parameter 2: 0
Parameter 3: 0
Parameter 4: 0
OS version: 10_0_19041
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 256_1
OS Version: 10.0.19041.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033

I am on the latest bios and UEFI component tests of the thunderbolt ports have passed. I suspect it may be a firmware issue with the USB/Thunderbolt ports. Anybody have an idea of why the ports would malfunction on a intermittent, but regular basis?

OS: Windows 2004

[Betty0610]

@HomerSF

Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Try the steps from here: https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/c03327635

Let me know if this helps.

If the information I've provided was helpful, give us some reinforcement by clicking the "Accept as solution" button, that'll help us and others see that we've got the answers!

Thanks!

Have a great day!

[HomerSF · Accepted solution]

I did not try the steps suggested by Betty0610 - none of which seem to apply to the malfunctions I experienced. But after much online research, I seemed to have stumbled upon a fix. I disabled "allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" under Device Manager - System Devices - Thunderbolt Controller 15D2 - Power Management. I have not experienced a port malfunction since then.

Incidentally, this also solved another problem where the 'system' process was constantly utilizing CPU at 25-30% after plugging/unplugging (or sleeping/waking) with a USB-C monitor attached. I ran Event Tracing for Windows and analyzed the trace using Windows Performance ToolKit to identify which driver may have caused the system process to hang. See https://superuser.com/questions/527401/troubleshoot-high-cpu-usage-by-the-system-process for guidance.

At the end of the day, looks like the thunderbolt controller driver is the culprit!