[SUCCESS] Gigabyte Designare Z390 (Thunderbolt 3) + i7-9700K + AMD RX 580

[littlefooch]

Sure this is the right place. But note that Z390 Designare and Z490 Vision D are different boards.

Ya, correct re the boards. I have too many and Gigabyte nomenclature is confusing. My board of interest is the Z390 Designare (the Z490 Vision D was the follow on and I have that too).

For starters:
Since first read of the Intel Thunderbolt™ Networking Bridging and Routing Instructional White Paper 2014, my goal has been to provide an update based on the obvious changes in TB3 and the coming of TB4 (esp the TB4 Hub) as it pertains to Thunderbolt Networking. IMHO this is one of the most overlooked capabilities of TB3.

So my question:
In my 'Thunderbolt Networking' lab I used a TB4 Hub to see what I could get for TB3 Networking when connecting to TB3 ports on Win and MacOS but mostly Win (as I've noted failures in TB3 Networking via my M1Mini). To my surprise the one board that does not recognize (in Win) the TB4 Hub is the GB Z390 Designare. The firmware provided by GB is NVM33 only.

I can use the hub successfully to TB3 Network multiple Z390 boards via Titan Ridge NVM50. So the natural thought is the NVM33 is doing something the TB4 Hub doesn't like (or vice versa). BTW the Hub DOES like the Z490 Vision D.

So I'd like to upgrade the TB3 firmware on the Z390 Designare to NVM50 (which it appears you have done).
1. I've done firmware flashing before on stand alone EPROMS so I get flashing
2. I have not done it on a chip on the motherboard
3. Hence I would like to be pointed to step by step instructions with images to flash the Designare to NVM50.
4. Seems like it would also be a good idea to save the original firmware on the Designare (although I know that GB provides the software to flash it to NVM33)

I've done a bit of work re the Thunderbolt Networking project alluded to above. For me, one of the biggest features of TB3 is TB Networking (for fast peer to peer networking). I'd rather that Intel do it but you have to be an anointed Intel TB Developer to get to key docs and no one including Intel really discusses TB Networking. I won't get into details here unless the forum would like that knowledge from my own testing.

BTW, Win 10 at one point in time was the fly in the ointment for TB3 functionality. That seems to be be resolved/resolving with the Win Insider Dev releases quickly (again no one discusses it).

Thanks for the opportunity to post.
LF

 

[CaseySJ]

@littlefooch,

Let me summarize the problem statement:

• Goal:
  • To connect TB4 hub to Z390 Designare in Windows.
• Background:
  • Other Z390 boards with NVM 50 do appear to be compatible with TB4 hubs in Windows.
  • But Designare Z390 has NVM 33, which is not compatible.
  • Z490 Vision D with NVM 50 is compatible.
• Objectives:
  • You are not trying to enable Thunderbolt Bus in macOS.
  • Instead, your goal is to enable TB4 hub support on Z390 Designare in Windows.
• Your questions:
  • Will original, unmodified NVM 50 from Z490 work when flashed to Z390 Designare?
    • Answer: Yes.
  • How to flash the Z390 Designare in-situ (without removing the Winbond SPI Flash ROM chip)?
    • Answer: Please see the following guides from Quick Reference spoiler in Post 1:

Do you already have a copy of the original Gigabyte NVM 50 firmware?

 

[littlefooch]

@littlefooch,

Let me summarize the problem statement:

• Goal:
  • To connect TB4 hub to Z390 Designare in Windows.
• Background:
  • Other Z390 boards with NVM 50 do appear to be compatible with TB4 hubs in Windows.
  • But Designare Z390 has NVM 33, which is not compatible.
  • Z490 Vision D with NVM 50 is compatible.
• Objectives:
  • You are not trying to enable Thunderbolt Bus in macOS.
  • Instead, your goal is to enable TB4 hub support on Z390 Designare in Windows.
• Your questions:
  • Will original, unmodified NVM 50 from Z490 work when flashed to Z390 Designare?
    • Answer: Yes.
  • How to flash the Z390 Designare in-situ (without removing the Winbond SPI Flash ROM chip)?
    • Answer: Please see the following guides from Quick Reference spoiler in Post 1:

View attachment 521761

Do you already have a copy of the original Gigabyte NVM 50 firmware?

Thanks @CaseySJ
The original NVM for the Z390 Designare is NVM33 and the firmware and software to install the firmware is available from the Gigabyte site.

I was only a bit concerned that if I burn in the NVM50 (as is available from you) can I go backwards to the original NVM33 from Gigabyte if needed.

If I read you correctly, you are saying that the NVM50 taken from the Z490 Vision D (aka Designare) will work in the Z390 Designare, is that correct?

I don't think the NVM50 in Z490 firmware is available from Gigabyte - so which flavor of the NVM50 available from your downloads is the original NVM50 in the Z490?

 

[CaseySJ]

Thanks @CaseySJ
The original NVM for the Z390 Designare is NVM33 and the firmware and software to install the firmware is available from the Gigabyte site.

I was only a bit concerned that if I burn in the NVM50 (as is available from you) can I go backwards to the original NVM33 from Gigabyte if needed.

Yes, we can use an external SPI ROM reader/writer to install any version of the firmware at any time.

If I read you correctly, you are saying that the NVM50 taken from the Z490 Vision D (aka Designare) will work in the Z390 Designare, is that correct?

Yes. @Elias64Fr has done that.

I don't think the NVM50 in Z490 firmware is available from Gigabyte - so which flavor of the NVM50 available from your downloads is the original NVM50 in the Z490?

All of the Thunderbolt firmware files available from my Repository have been modified to enable Thunderbolt Bus on macOS. These modified files cause some issues in Windows and Linux. The original, unmodified files are available as well, but we'll need a moment to find them. We can also undo the modifications we made, thereby restoring the original.

 

[littlefooch]

Yes, we can use an external SPI ROM reader/writer to install any version of the firmware at any time.


Yes. @Elias64Fr has done that.


All of the Thunderbolt firmware files available from my Repository have been modified to enable Thunderbolt Bus on macOS. These modified files cause some issues in Windows and Linux. The original, unmodified files are available as well, but we'll need a moment to find them. We can also undo the modifications we made, thereby restoring the original.

that would be great

 

[CaseySJ]

that would be great

Attached is the original, unmodified NVM50 from Z490 Vision D.

 

[littlefooch]

Very cool, thanks.
Happy to share TB Networking info if interested.

 

[CaseySJ]

Very cool, thanks.
Happy to share TB Networking info if interested.

Sure; let us know how it goes. It can be tricky to establish a working connection to the Winbond chip on Designare Z390. Don't force it -- and always attach and detach the SOIC clip gently.

 

[littlefooch]

Have you tried to use the Intel TB Firmware Update utility? (vs the direct SOIC zap method)

 

[CaseySJ]

Have you tried to use the Intel TB Firmware Update utility? (vs the direct SOIC zap method)

I haven't, but it may be possible to extract the active region from the NVM50 file I posted and package it inside the TB Firmware Update utility.