Windows 10: Welcome to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 Era

Brink · Nov 2, 2016

USB-C has quickly become ubiquitous, and not just on mobile devices: This incredibly versatile connectivity standard is now pervasive on modern PCs as well. When combined with Thunderbolt 3, it’s nearly perfect.

So much so, in fact, that Microsoft needs to adopt this standard—USB-C with Thunderbolt 3—for its coming generation of Surface devices. And drop the proprietary USB-based Surface Connector for good.

As a refresher, USB—literally, Universal Serial Bus—debuted in the late 1990s as a way to obsolete previous competing and incompatible standards for connecting peripherals to PCs. (Let’s briefly shed a tear for the serial, parallel, and PS2 ports that none of us really miss.) Over the years, USB has evolved to accommodate faster transmission speeds, of course, but also new capabilities. And with USB-C, we see the apex of that evolution in a plug type that is (finally) reversible and twice as fast as the previous standard, while offering a stunning array of capabilities. Indeed, the sheer number of things that USB-C replaces makes the initial USB of the late 1990s look like an under-achiever.

Granted, not all USB-C capabilities are available on all devices—or, I should say, on all USB-C ports, even—which makes for some confusion. Adding to this confusion is the frustration that accompanies any such transition: We’re going to be dealing with various dongles, adapters, and port multipliers for the next few years. The good news? It’s worth it.
It’s especially worth it when you combine USB-C with Thunderbolt 3, which Apple and many PC makers are doing. And to be clear, when I write that Microsoft needs to embrace USB-C and rid itself of the terrible and proprietary Surface Connector, what I really mean is that it should embrace USB-C plus Thunderbolt 3.

So what does that mean?

Put simply, USB-C by itself is basically the latest version of USB, a connectivity standard, with a particular plug type. Which in this case is much smaller than the full-sized (or “Type A”) plugs that most people associate with USB and, more important, is reversible. Meaning you don’t need to know which way is “up” when you plug a USB-C connector into a USB-C port.

By itself, USB-C provides a number of useful features. These are:

Power. On smartphones, tablets, and now even PCs, you can power your device using a USB-C-based cable and charger. So new PCs like the 2016 HP Spectre x360 and Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro can be charged using the same type of cable. And you can use the USB-C ports on those devices to do much more as well.

Data. Like previous versions of USB, USB-C can be used to transmit data. But because it’s based on the latest USB standard, USB 3.1, USB-C can also be much faster than previous USB-C ports, assuming of course you’re using a USB-C device (or a USB 3.1 device with a dongle) on the other end: USB-C can transmit data at speeds up to 10 Gbps, which is twice as fast as USB 3.0’s 5 Gbps speed. But it’s also backward compatible with previous generation USB devices; when such a peripheral is connected, they will work as before, at what speed they support.

Video. Using various dongles, you can transmit video via HDMI, DisplayPort, and other video standards. (A future update will also add audio support over USB-C, similar to Apple’s implementation of audio over Lightning on its iPhone 7 and other iOS devices.)
Click to expand...

Read more: Welcome to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 Era - Thurrott.com

fireberd · Nov 2, 2016

Why does a "Windows" PC have to be like an Apple? In the audio/recording studio world there are a few Thunderbolt I/O devices but the majority are USB 2.0 devices or even 1394 (Firewire). The bandwidth of a USB 2.0 exceeds the bandwidth requirement of most recording interface devices. Some do not even work with a USB 3.0 port (the device(s) is the issue not the 3.0 port).

I realize things will evolve, and "managing change" is not an issue for me, having been in commercial networking and telecommunications and help desk since 1973. But, I just don't see "follow Apple" (and I have an iPhone).

:)

AlbertoFontana90 · Nov 2, 2016

Windows 10 is not recognizing a Thunderbolt 2 device

Hi!

I've just bought a NAS (QNAP TVS-1282T) and a PC with the motherboard Gigabyte GA-X99-Designare EX.

The motherboard supports Thunderbolt 3 via USB Type-C connector and the NAS is Thunderbolt 2.

Once i connect the NAS via Thunderbolt 2 cable into the USB Type C port with this

Startech adapter i get this message: "the last usb device you connected to this computer malfunctioned and windows doesn't recognize it".

If i go to the device manager in Windows i see that under "USB Device (Universal Serial Bus)" there is a "Billboard Device" reporting an error with Code 10. (screenshot
here)

(it's in italian. A literal translation would be: Impossible to start the device (Code 10). You specified an unexisting device)

I tried to click on it and automatically look for drivers, but it says that the device drivers are up to date.

The NAS works for sure, because if i connect it via thunderbolt on my girlfriend macbook it works.

So, how can i make this work via Thunderbolt 2 on my Windows PC?

I've spent 13K€ on this setup (NAS + PC), you can imagine i cannot work without Thunderbolt!

Additional details:

- Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-Designare EX. Bios Version F3. All drivers installed. It supports Thunderbolt 3

- Windows 10 Version 1511, Build OS 10586.633

- Gigabyte tech support said a Thunderbolt 2 device would work with this Motherboard using that adapter. I've asked them before buying all this stuff

Thanks for your help

godhawk · Nov 2, 2016

Windows 10 is not recognizing a Thunderbolt 2 device

3) After the program has finished installing go to C:\program files (x86)\GIGABYTE\flashTBT and run the file "flashTBT_100.exe". This program will flash the BIOS and upgrade it to Thunderbolt 3 capability.
Click to expand...

They dont come with the flashTBT_100.exe file as of the newest downloads for the Gigabyte GA-X99-Designare EX motherboards. I have looked at other thunderbolt drivers and cant find it there either. Basically my USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port on my computer reads
as a USB-C port with card readers and the like, but my thunderbolt 3 devices it wont read. I just downloaded and installed v 16.1.47.275 of the thunderbolt software from Gigabyte. Also there are no instructions in the .zip (link

here)

I only get the "try improving USB Connection" message or "does not recognize USB device" and I can go no further.

I will try the unplug power source for 30 seconds, but as this is a custom build and I'm pretty sure I've done that already multiple times, I dont hold out much hope

Any and all help is greatly appreciated as I bought this board specifically for the TB 3 capabilities for my line of work.

Thanks!

Windows 10: Welcome to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 Era

Welcome to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 Era

Welcome to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 Era

Welcome to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 Era

Welcome to the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 Era - Similar Threads - Welcome USB Thunderbolt

Problem with usb c thunderbolt - freezes the laptop

Enabling USB Type C (Thunderbolt) socket

Thunderbolt 3 USB-C to display port

Surface Laptop 3 - Unable to get 4k@60Hz Thunderbolt / usb-c

Adaptor for type C Thunderbolt 3 port to connect to USB 3.0

Thunderbolt 3 USB Devices, Device Mgr and Thunderbolt Drivers

Samsung T5 is not getting recognized in a non Thunderbolt 3 USB C Port

How to display through thunderbolt 3 with "thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 adapter" and...

Usb - c / thunderbolt issue