Can't get eGPU dock to work. Prob need updated Thunderbolt drivers.

[cw8jwh69_Part-2]

Bought an eGPU dock ( PelaDN S-1 Link ) and a graphics card ( MSI GeForce RTX 3060 ) to use to learn and tinker with AI and ML.
The dock powers on, and I can see the cooling fans on the GPU spin.
However, the PCIe slot the GPU is plugged into shows up as a 'USB Billboard Device' and not a GPU.
The dock has a pass-thru controller ( JMicron JMS583 ) and an M.2 NVMe slot ( which I have disabled, because I want to get the GPU to work first ).
I can see information ( Port & Hub and driver whatnots) in the device manager, but for the life of me I can't get the GPU to be recognized, let alone used.
I have a HP G5 dock plugged into the USB-C port, and the eGPU dock is plugged into the G5 USB-C port ( because I use multiple monitors, and the pass-thru on the eGPU dock isn't working ).
Summary, an email from the US arm of PelaDN said the dock is plug-and-play, so I might need updated Thunderbolt drivers.
I have a copy of SP150830 driver package, but do not know if it is the appropriate one.

Any help would be most appreciated.
Thankx!

[Max3Aj]

@cw8jwh69_Part-2, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
Here's a step-by-step guide to help resolve the issue with your PelaDN S-1 Link eGPU dock not being recognized properly on your HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop - 17-cd100 CTO running Windows 11:

Ensure Direct Connection

Your current setup routes the eGPU through the HP G5 dock, which may not support Thunderbolt passthrough properly. For troubleshooting:

• Connect the eGPU dock directly to the laptop’s USB-C/Thunderbolt port.
• Disconnect the HP G5 dock temporarily to isolate the issue.

Update Thunderbolt and Chipset Drivers

To ensure compatibility with Thunderbolt 3/4 devices:

Visit the official HP driver page for your laptop: Official HP® Support

Download and install the following:

• Intel Thunderbolt 3 Secure Connect Driver
• Intel Chipset Installation Utility
• BIOS Update (if available)
• Intel Management Engine Interface (MEI)

Reboot your system after each installation.

Install Thunderbolt Control Center

1. Open Microsoft Store.
2. Search for Thunderbolt Control Center.
3. Install it and check if the eGPU is listed.
4. If prompted, approve the device in the Thunderbolt Control Center.

Check Device Manager

• Open Device Manager.
• Look under:
  • Display Adapters (to see if the RTX 3060 appears)
  • System Devices (for Thunderbolt Controller)
  • Universal Serial Bus Devices (for USB Billboard Device)

If the GPU still shows as a USB Billboard Device, it typically means the Thunderbolt controller is not initializing the PCIe device properly, often due to driver or firmware issues.

BIOS Settings

• Reboot and enter BIOS (usually by pressing Esc or F10 during startup).
• Look for Thunderbolt Configuration:
  • Enable Thunderbolt Support.
  • Set Security Level to No Security or User Authorization.
  • Enable PCIe Tunneling if available.

Save and exit BIOS.
 

Test with Minimal Setup

• Disconnect all other USB-C devices.
• Connect only the eGPU dock directly.
• Boot into Windows and check if the GPU is detected. 

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support 

[cw8jwh69_Part-2]

There is no Thunderbolt option in the BIOS, even tho the product documentation said it has a single Thunderbolt port, and I have the same BIOS version that is listed in the specific support section for my laptop. Is there a BIOS update for my laptop that includes it?

There is no 'Intel Thunderbolt 3 Secure Connect Driver' on the HP Support web site ( or Intel's ), do you have a download link for it?

I have already tried disconnecting the G5 dock, anything that does register in Device Manager from the eGPU dock still shows up the same way, when I plug the dock directly to the USB-C port ( it does have the Thunderbolt little sign above it ).

I already have the latest version of the Intel Management Engine Interface installed, as well as the Intel Thunderbolt Control Center, and nothing shows up at all in it. And The Thunderbolt Control Center won't detect anything if I do not have the proper Thunderbolt driver for my laptop.

Looking at the Device Manager is how I can tell that some parts of the eGPU dock are being seen; but no matter what I've tried ( to include disabling all Security software ) the graphics card still isn't being registered as a graphics card.

As I am able to tell there are three main parts ( besides the power supply ) to the eGPU dock: 

     1) The mass storage controller for the NVMe M.2 slot; but I have this disabled to better help troubleshoot,        as it does nothing else.

     2) The USB / Thunderbolt throughput controller which coincidentally is only recognized by the NVidia USB-     C driver ( which according to specs has NOTHING to do with Thunderbolt or the ability to use Thunderbolt       devices.

     3) The PCIe slot that the graphics card is sitting in.

I can see a JMS583 Bridge Controller, but I think that is tied to the mass storage driver for the M.2 slot. And tech support at JMicron says they don't do driver development, just chip dev, so getting any updated drivers for that Bridge Controller is SOL.

Here is the Device Manager information for the 'USB Billboard Device': ( which I think the the eGPU docks USB Controller )

Location: Port_#0005.Hub_#0007
Device Instance Path: USB\VID_2109&PID_8822\0000000000000001
Hardware IDs: USB\VID_2109&PID_8822&REV_0001
                            USB\VID_2109&PID_8822
Status: DN_DRIVER_LOADED
              DN_STARTED
              DN_DISABLEABLE
              DN_NT_ENUMERATOR
              DN_NT_DRIVER
This above is just a sample, there are almost 3-dozen more lines of device information.
Now for the PCIe slot in the eGPU dock: it shows up in the 'Other Devices' section as a 'PCI Device'.
Here is the same information for it as indicated above:

Location: PCI Slot 1 (PCI bus 1, device 0, function 3)
Device Instance Path: PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1AED&SUBSYS_85FB103C&REV_A1\4&890CC4E&0&0308
Hardware IDs: PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1AED&SUBSYS_85FB103C&REV_A1
                           PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1AED&SUBSYS_85FB103C
                           PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1AED&CC_0C8000
                           PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_1AED&CC_0C80
Status: 01802400
              DN_HAS_PROBLEM
              DN_DISABLEABLE
              DN_NT_ENUMERATOR
              DN_NT_DRIVER

As an added bonus, here are the device IDs for the graphics card ( GeForce RTX 3060 ) straight from the driver files:

DEV_2487

DEV_24C7

DEV_2503

DEV_2504

DEV_2544

As I see it, I need 2 main things: a Thunderbolt-supported BIOS update for my laptop, and then the Thunderbolt drivers for my laptop.

Thanks for your assistance!
JW

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @cw8jwh69_Part-2,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

Thanks for reaching out about your query regarding eGPU dock connection issues with HP laptops!

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

Try these steps:

Verify Thunderbolt Support

Check Specifications:

• Verify your HP laptop model supports Thunderbolt technology. This information can typically be found in the laptop's specifications sheet or user manual.

Check for Thunderbolt Port:

• Ensure the port used for the eGPU dock is indeed a Thunderbolt port. It might be labeled with a Thunderbolt symbol.

Update BIOS and Drivers

Update BIOS:

• Visit the HP Support website.
• Enter your laptop model to find the latest BIOS updates.
• Download and install the latest BIOS update.

Update Thunderbolt Drivers:

• Download the latest Thunderbolt drivers and firmware from the HP Support or Intel website.
• Install the drivers before connecting the eGPU.

Thunderbolt Control Center Configuration

Install Thunderbolt Control Center:

• Download and install the Thunderbolt Control Center from the Microsoft Store.

Configure Thunderbolt Settings:

• Open Thunderbolt Control Center and ensure that the Thunderbolt port is configured correctly.
• Check if the eGPU is listed and ensure it is authorized to connect to the laptop.

Troubleshoot Device Manager Issues

1. Resolve Driver Problems:
   • Open Device Manager (Windows + X > Device Manager).
   • Locate the USB Billboard Device and PCI Device with issues.
   • Right-click and select Update driver.
   • If drivers are not found, try uninstalling the device from the Device Manager and reconnecting the eGPU dock.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[cw8jwh69_Part-2]

Please read the prior two entries in this thread, dated 06-20-2025 06:58 AM and 06-20-2025 08:37 AM.

[cw8jwh69_Part-2]

Does ANYONE exposed to this thread know if there is a BIOS update that contains the Thunderbolt portion applicable to my laptop: Product: 8WW18AV ?

Thanks!

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @cw8jwh69_Part-2,

Thanks for the thorough details, you’ve done an outstanding job documenting the issue. Based on your situation, you're encountering what many users with USB-C/Thunderbolt 3-equipped HP laptops run into: Thunderbolt-capable hardware that isn't fully enabled due to firmware and BIOS limitations.

Unfortunately, the HP Pavilion Gaming 17-cd100 CTO series does not support Thunderbolt, despite the USB-C port having a similar shape or possibly a misleading label. It supports USB-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, but not Thunderbolt 3/4, and no BIOS update exists to add Thunderbolt support to this machine.

HP reserves Thunderbolt functionality for higher-end business-class (EliteBook, ZBook) and some Spectre models. Your model’s USB-C port is wired through a standard PCIe interface, not the Thunderbolt controller required to support eGPU functionality.

The PelaDN S-1 Link eGPU dock requires a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port.

Your Pavilion Gaming laptop only has USB-C (Gen 1/Gen 2) with DisplayPort, and cannot natively handle external GPUs through USB-C alone.

That’s why the GPU only shows up as a USB Billboard Device, and not as an actual PCIe GPU.

Even though:

The dock powers up

The GPU spins up

The NVMe slot is recognized

…it’s because the USB interface can initialize basic peripheral communication (like Billboard or storage bridges), but cannot negotiate a PCIe tunnel, which Thunderbolt requires to talk to GPUs.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,