• Registered: 2017-05-11
  • Posts: 3

Topic: does thunderbolt 3 provide power at bootup

Hello,

We have a laptop (dell xps 13 9360) with a thunderbolt 3 port.
We are trying to connect it to a firewire 400 device with a chain of adapters:
- thunderbolt 3 to 2
- thunderbolt 2 to firewire 800
- firewire 800 to 400

We are having troubles, and the question on our minds:

Does thunderbolt 3 output power right as the computer boots (before windows loads), or does thunderbolt 3 output power only after windows loads?

Thank you

  • From: North Eastern USA
  • Registered: 2016-03-29
  • Posts: 104

Re: does thunderbolt 3 provide power at bootup

I'm sorry I'm not near my computer to confirm this but I'm 98% sure that there is an option in my ASUS bios to provide power on boot in its Thunderbolt enabled state. You might check to see if that is available to you with dell

Babyface Pro, UFX+ via Thunderbolt, Win 10, Cubase 9.5 Pro, Asus Z270 i7700k Guitarist-1961

3 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
  • Administrator
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 25,444

Re: does thunderbolt 3 provide power at bootup

As you could easily and quickly find out by either googling or searching within this forum the TB to FW adapter limits the power to 7 Watts, which is not enough for the FF400 to be operated bus-powered.

Additionally I also reported in this forum that the whole chain does not work 100% reliable, as one CPU core is constantly loaded for no reason, and sometimes audio just stops and BSODs the computer.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2017-05-11
  • Posts: 3

Re: does thunderbolt 3 provide power at bootup

knuckle47 wrote:

I'm sorry I'm not near my computer to confirm this but I'm 98% sure that there is an option in my ASUS bios to provide power on boot in its Thunderbolt enabled state. You might check to see if that is available to you with dell

Thank you.
There is an option of "Boot Support", but it makes no mention of power. Does your computer have an option specifically for power?

  • From: North Eastern USA
  • Registered: 2016-03-29
  • Posts: 104

Re: does thunderbolt 3 provide power at bootup

I'll look today for you

Babyface Pro, UFX+ via Thunderbolt, Win 10, Cubase 9.5 Pro, Asus Z270 i7700k Guitarist-1961
  • From: North Eastern USA
  • Registered: 2016-03-29
  • Posts: 104

Re: does thunderbolt 3 provide power at bootup

I checked on this tonight and what I see in bios tells me that there are options for external TB devices to wake the computer as well as provide power to the TB header on bootup when TB is enabled.  Hope that helps you.  This is an ASUS Z270.

I do remember that during the initial release of the motherboard I had written to ASUS support and nearly every answer the provided me was incorrect.  To their credit, it may have been untested at that time but the issues I'd brought up are now standard and recommended.  So things can and do change quickly.

Babyface Pro, UFX+ via Thunderbolt, Win 10, Cubase 9.5 Pro, Asus Z270 i7700k Guitarist-1961
  • Registered: 2017-05-11
  • Posts: 3

Re: does thunderbolt 3 provide power at bootup

knuckle47 wrote:

I checked on this tonight and what I see in bios tells me that there are options for external TB devices to wake the computer as well as provide power to the TB header on bootup when TB is enabled.  Hope that helps you.  This is an ASUS Z270.

I do remember that during the initial release of the motherboard I had written to ASUS support and nearly every answer the provided me was incorrect.  To their credit, it may have been untested at that time but the issues I'd brought up are now standard and recommended.  So things can and do change quickly.

thank you!