GUIDE How to Enable Thunderbolt 3 Hotplug on macOS

[goodguy]

It could possibly work, with the use of Jumpering the TB header, as described in the TB installation guide. We managed to get EVGA Motherboard working, with a complete TB Hotplug function, where the Motherboard has no TB support and lacks TB Header too


Yes, but you need to check all the slot's path addresses for proper utilization. Confirm such with us before you buy a Card. Also, not sure why you prefer that way when your Motherboard is already equipped with a Thunderbolt 3 chip, probably, JHL7540 which can be flashed to a custom firmware. Instead of buying a PCIe Card and flashing a custom card, I suggest you go this way.

Every couple of days, I loose Hotplug, I don't know why, so I think about flashing the Thunderbolt Chip

I've heard of flashing a budget Gigabyte Card, but flashing the Mainboard gets expensive if it goes wrong.

Questions:
If flashing the Thunderbolt Chip on the Mainboard, can I go back (reflash) to the original?
Is it possible to "brick" the Thunderbolt, if flashing goes sideways?
Does flashing render the Thunderbolt Menu in the BIOS obsolete?
How do I find the right Chip on the Mainboard?

 

[EliteMacx86]

Every couple of days, I loose Hotplug, I don't know why, so I think about flashing the Thunderbolt Chip

That's really weird. Yes, flashing the chip is a good idea.

I've heard of flashing a budget Gigabyte Card, but flashing the Mainboard gets expensive if it goes wrong.

Makes sense. Of course, the risk to flash the chip on the Motherboard is more. Although, I would still suggest you go that way, with precaution.

If flashing the Thunderbolt Chip on the Mainboard, can I go back (reflash) to the original?

Yes, you can.

Is it possible to "brick" the Thunderbolt, if flashing goes sideways?

Can you elaborate?

Does flashing render the Thunderbolt Menu in the BIOS obsolete?

Yes, in some cases only.

How do I find the right Chip on the Mainboard?

There is already a well-written guide on the forum.

GUIDE - How to Flash Custom Firmware on Thunderbolt Card for macOS

How to Flash Custom Firmware on Thunderbolt Card for macOS Overview Following is a Thunderbolt firmware flashing guide exclusively for macOS. The guide is applicable for Motherboards having Built-In Thunderbolt, Laptops, and Add-In Cards. The method is tested by us on the following Add-In...

elitemacx86.com

 

[goodguy]

That's really weird. Yes, flashing the chip is a good idea.

Makes sense. Of course, the risk to flash the chip on the Motherboard is more. Although, I would still suggest you go that way, with precaution.

Yes, you can.

Can you elaborate?

Yes, in some cases only.

There is already a well-written guide on the forum.

GUIDE - How to Flash Custom Firmware on Thunderbolt Card for macOS

How to Flash Custom Firmware on Thunderbolt Card for macOS Overview Following is a Thunderbolt firmware flashing guide exclusively for macOS. The guide is applicable for Motherboards having Built-In Thunderbolt, Laptops, and Add-In Cards. The method is tested by us on the following Add-In...

elitemacx86.com

by "bricked" i mean that the Chip is left inoperable and can not be overwritten with the original Firmware anymore.

and yes, I know the guide, however this guide is for GC Gigabyte Cards. So far I have not found any report or anything on the net about flashing onboard chip on non-Gigabyte Mainboards.

 

[EliteMacx86]

by "bricked" i mean that the Chip is left inoperable and can not be overwritten with the original Firmware anymore.

If the chip has not failed and the region is not damaged, the chip can be still flashed with the original firmware. In case, if the chip is damaged, you can still solder the winbond blank chip and flash the original firmware.

and yes, I know the guide, however this guide is for GC Gigabyte Cards. So far I have not found any report or anything on the net about flashing onboard chip on non-Gigabyte Mainboards.

We'll add the steps

 

[goodguy]

I think/hope I found a solution for the instability with hot plug.
It's in the USBMap.kext.
If I start the PC withOUT a Thunderbolt Device connected, Only the XHC ports and NO pci8086,15ec Ports will be populated as USB Ports (screenshot 1). Ergo the TB USB Ports can not be mapped. Ergo they are not available in macOS if USBmap.kext is used.
If I start the PC with a Thunderbolt Device connected, BOTH XHC ports and pci8086,15ec will be populated as USB Ports (screenshot 2). Therefore can be mapped and will be available through USBmap.kext.
As a result, now USB Devices also work on the thunderbolt USBC connectors.
I did the USB mapping at a time, when I did not have a TB Device. So these Ports where not listed in USBMap.kext
Since both TB Ports are now also USB Ports, macOS should be able to "manage Power" over these ports and detect if something gets connected or disconnected.
You may call it weird, I call it ASUS

 

[EliteMacx86]

If I start the PC withOUT a Thunderbolt Device connected, Only the XHC ports and NO pci8086,15ec Ports will be populated as USB Ports (screenshot 1). Ergo the TB USB Ports can not be mapped. Ergo they are not available in macOS if USBmap.kext is used.

Of course, when it comes to mapping, it does have some effect. But note that as per my testing, TB will work without any effect but Type-C will not work.

If I start the PC with a Thunderbolt Device connected, BOTH XHC ports and pci8086,15ec will be populated as USB Ports (screenshot 2). Therefore can be mapped and will be available through USBmap.kext.
As a result, now USB Devices also work on the thunderbolt USBC connectors.
I did the USB mapping at a time, when I did not have a TB Device. So these Ports where not listed in USBMap.kext
Since both TB Ports are now also USB Ports, macOS should be able to "manage Power" over these ports and detect if something gets connected or disconnected.
You may call it weird, I call it ASUS

Hahaha. Definitely, not preferring ASUS now, my 3 hardware died including Laptop. BIOS is buggy. Glad that you have got it fixed!

 

[phyd]

Heya @EliteMacx86

Trying to implement your hot plug on my Osx 12.1 Monterey install.

I currently have TB working on cold boot up. Can't quite get the hot plug working as per your guide yet.

It's a Thunderbolt EX3 card installed in slot#4 of Asus X299 Prime Deluxe MB - have uploaded screenshot of IOReg.

Have also attached zipped OC folder from EFI.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[EliteMacx86]

Heya @EliteMacx86

Trying to implement your hot plug on my Osx 12.1 Monterey install.

I currently have TB working on cold boot up. Can't quite get the hot plug working as per your guide yet.

It's a Thunderbolt EX3 card installed in slot#4 of Asus X299 Prime Deluxe MB - have uploaded screenshot of IOReg.

Have also attached zipped OC folder from EFI.

Any help is appreciated.

The ideal slot would be Slot #6, not Slot #4. In addition, the HotPlug SSDT has a different address than the IOReg.

 

[phyd]

The ideal slot would be Slot #6, not Slot #4. In addition, the HotPlug SSDT has a different address than the IOReg.

Not sure i follow. So the actual TB EX3 card is installed on PCIE_4 on the motherboard. My GPU is in Slot #1 of the motherboard "PCIE_1". Where do you get Slot #6 from? Does that mean i need to change all instances of PC03 in my SSDT file to PC05?

Also are you able to elaborate on where the HotPlug SSDT is different from the IOReg? My ACPI path is BR3B@1. So just confirming i need to change all instances of RP21 in the SSDT to BR3B?

Any help appreciated.

 

[EliteMacx86]

Not sure i follow. So the actual TB EX3 card is installed on PCIE_4 on the motherboard. My GPU is in Slot #1 of the motherboard "PCIE_1". Where do you get Slot #6 from? Does that mean i need to change all instances of PC03 in my SSDT file to PC05?

As per your motherboard model, there are total 6 slots. The TB Card will be installed in the Slot #6. Of course, GPU will be installed in the first Slot. It depends on what path the Slot #6 has.

Also are you able to elaborate on where the HotPlug SSDT is different from the IOReg? My ACPI path is BR3B@1. So just confirming i need to change all instances of RP21 in the SSDT to BR3B?

Yes, that's correct. In addition, you also need to implement other scope as described in the SSDT implementation.