95% Sierra Build GA-Z170X Designare build - Need help with USB 3.1!!

[PlatformDisphoria]

I've built a pretty successful Hack following the various guides on this site (thanks guys, you rock!)
Dual boot Windows 10 pro 64bit(to load thunderbolt drivers, works perfectly on windows side)
System Definition iMac 17,1
i7 6700k (overclocked to 4600MHz)
GA-Z170X Designare (BIOS F22)
GTX 980ti(web drivers, accelleration confirmed)
32 GB Ballistic Sport LT(XMP profile 1)
Sierra 10.12.4 (Clover and Multibeast)


and everything is working with the exception of usb 3.1 (the fabled thunderbolt 3!).
I've done the various guides on this site, and nothing seems to stick - sometimes I can get the usb 3.0 bus to recognize my UAD Satellite via an Apple USBC to Thunderbolt 2 adapter, and other times not. I remember there was ONCE when the usb 3.1 bus showed up in Mac system report, but it didn't recognize the hardware downstream, just the adapter. When I try the apple thunderbolt firmware update, the package tells me that it is not compatible with my computer, and in showing hidden files, the apple thunderbolt kexts are present, but do not load. I could really use some help with this, I really need to get thunderbolt connectivity going, and I'm at a loss.
The USB 3 speed is about 480Mbps, but I can't recognize any of my other displays, or the OWC Thunderbolt 2 hub they are passing through, which is odd because drives, software dongles and midi controllers pass through on USB 3 when its working.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[BreBo]

@domenicsabol, please update your profile (personal details) with your build (Motherboard or Model, CPU and Graphics Card).

Profiles need to contain at least your primary system to assist others with helping you.

 

[ThomasKlosinsky]

Have you already tried to update the Thunderbolt?

*Thunderbolt*

• THUNDERBOLT WORKED OUT OF THE BOX BUT to be able to get a much more stable Thunderbolt connection you need to follow tonymac86's guide in flashing the Thunderbolt ports in Windows 10! He wrote the guide for the Z170X-UD5-TH which I have quoted below but slightly changed it around for the Z170X-Designare!

tonymacx86 said: ↑
STEP BY STEP THUNDERBOLT 3 SETUP:

STEP 1: Download Windows 10 Trial mode and install to disk. (Activation not required)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/

STEP 2: Update Gigabyte Z170X-Designare BIOS to F21 or greater
tonymacx86 said: ↑
http://download.gigabyte.eu/FileList/BIOS/mb_bios_ga-z170x-designare_f21.zip

STEP 3: Download and Install Thunderbolt FW Update Tool (B16.0718.1) for Z170X-Designare
http://download.gigabyte.eu/FileList/Utility/mb_utility_thunderbolt-fw_z170x-designare.zip

STEP 4: Navigate to This PC > Local Disk > Program Files (x86) > GIGABYTE > FlashTBT > FlashTBT_100

STEP 5: Run FlashTBT_100 Application

STEP 6: Shut down computer and unplug power cable for 30 seconds

from:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...designare-6700k-hd530-tb3-960-evo-m-2.213113/

 

[PlatformDisphoria]

@domenicsabol, please update your profile (personal details) with your build (Motherboard or Model, CPU and Graphics Card).

Sorry about that! I thought I just needed it in my post.



Thomas - I've followed that guide to the letter, and thunderbolt works on the windows side. When I boot as Mac, one of three things will happen(and there seems to be no reason for it):
1. Thunderbolt 3 downstream does not get power, computer doesn't see devices, even in IO Reg
2. Devices receive power, in system report FireWire pane reports 800 Mbps, USB reports 2 more USB3 busses
3. Devices will power, but UAD reports -54 Connection error, and speeds are very slow, and only a few devices connected to the thunderbolt hub are communicating with the system.

I really don't want to just start over, but with so many people saying that thunderbolt worked out of the box (I did the windows flashing AFTER I installed Sierra) but I don't know what else to try.

Any ideas?

 

[ThomasKlosinsky]

Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to check Thunderbolt yet. Well, I checked putting a monitor to it which didn't work... but I think that's supposed to be as is...
The UA Apollo 8 just arrived yesterday and I am at the customers place only Tuesdays... . But had no Thunderbolt cable ...
I will let you know by next week if it works with a new installation.

Or did you make any good progress by now?

No other ideas than to reinstall after the Windows flash so far...

Which Computer Model did you choose in MultiBeast?

 

[PlatformDisphoria]

It kind of works!
I flashed the Thunderbolt again in windows, and I get a G-Drive to show up on USB 3.1(using apple USB C to USB 3.0 adapter) bus in system profiler, but my thunderbolt 2 dock (using USB C to Thunderbolt 2 adapter)reads as USB 3.0 and operates at those speeds. Sometimes when it boots, the system 'forgets' the thunderbolt connections, and I have to flash again in windows to make it work. The issue now is that system profiler is reporting
5 Gb/sec max speed. Is this what its supposed to be?Or at least read on a Hack? I thought it thunderbolt 3 was 20Gb/sec. Also, what can I use to test the actual speeds of the ports?

I chose iMac 17,1 and dealt with the graphics complications, which was pretty simple and works like a beast(Geekbench CUDA graphics reported around 168,000!).

But if you know anything else I could try, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

[ThomasKlosinsky]

Hi Domenicsabol,

I just managed to check the Thunderbolt connection and the Apollo 8 works without any changes...
I made the Windows TB Update before I installed OS X though (I had to install OS X a few times before I got everything to work ...
But now it seems as if everything is working perfectly.

My system profiler is showing no Thunderbolt devices, only the audio device. So I can't say anything about the speed...
I also have iMac17,1 - chosen. MacPro 6,1 should also work with this config.

 

[PlatformDisphoria]

Where does the Apollo show up in system report? Just under audio devices? I was under the impression that thunderbolt devices show up on hacks under PCI - mine shows nothing there, but it's a real crapshoot to get anything to connect via thunderbolt. Any chance you could take a look at my system in detail? Im so close, but like everyone else doing audio, thunderbolt stability is critical!!

Thanks!

 

[PlatformDisphoria]

Can someone post a custom I/O reg file for a GA-Z170X Designare? I think that might get it done.

Thanks!

 

[Andromeda11]

I have only one Thunderbolt port working on my z170x Designare. Does anyone else have this problem?

I followed the instructions of Thomas Klonsky above. I have a Pegasus TB raid running on one working port. In the profiler it's shows up on the SAS tree, not USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt. Connection is by Startech TB3 to TB2 adapter. I've tried swapping the adapters and both work. My other port will not power or send signal. I'm on Sierra 10.12.2 running an imac 17,1 profile. Any ideas to fix? Thnx!