Thunderbolt 3 Modified Firmware Custom SSDT Discussion

[scottkendall]

Hi all, thanks for providing supports and firmware files regarding Thunderbolt Add-in Cards.. I am new to this thread and currently only using firmware file for Linux systems and GC-Alpine Ridge (ver2.0). I have noticed thah with original firmware the card and USB controller are not recognized by OS (with either boltctl or lspci). However, video passthrough works somehow with Apple Thunderbolt Display (USB function is not working as expected).

With firmware GC-ALPINE RIDGE-NVM21-V3-NATA.bin provided by @NorthAmTransAm, AIC is recognized by OS (I am able to authorize, connect to laptop via TB-networking, etc.), but video passthrough is not working.

I have noticed in other replies it was mentioned that with the patched firmware, video passthrough is never working. Since there're two thunderbolt ports in GC-Alpine Ridge, is it possible to make one port intact (un-patched) and another port patched? Thanks!

No idea I was only a tester in this venture.

 

[gemini44]

Hi all.
I have a Titan Ridge v2 TB and Asus X99 Deluxe MB. My problem is that the USB devices I connect to the Belkin TB 3 device works OOB, but the NVMe SSD disk I connect to the TB port does not work. When i connected the NVMe SSD to TB, first color green and then turns red. When I boot while connected to the computer, the TB SSD works, but it looks like an internal device (HDD icon). I cannot connect again after plugging and unplugging the device. I attached SS, EFI and IOReg. By the way I flashed @CaseySJ's FW. Thanks a lot for your efforts @scottkendall , @CaseySJ @NorthAmTransAm .

 

[scottkendall]

Hi all.
I have a Titan Ridge v2 TB and Asus X99 Deluxe MB. My problem is that the USB devices I connect to the Belkin TB 3 device works OOB, but the NVMe SSD disk I connect to the TB port does not work. When i connected the NVMe SSD to TB, first color green and then turns red. When I boot while connected to the computer, the TB SSD works, but it looks like an internal device (HDD icon). I cannot connect again after plugging and unplugging the device. I attached SS, EFI and IOReg. By the way I flashed @CaseySJ's FW. Thanks a lot for your efforts @scottkendall , @CaseySJ @NorthAmTransAm

I am not really sure much about the V2 but what version of the modified firmware did you use? I would guess you could put the NVM33 one on your card and it would work just fine. But worst case you have to flash a different firmware onto the card. I put all kinds of different ones on the alpine ridge card I have even tried putting the Titian ridge firmware on it. That said I can not promise you that it will not break your hardware but in my experience as long as you flashed new the correct firmware back or a working one back the card functioned fine.

 

[gemini44]

Thank you for answering @scottkendall . I meant V2 is this version. And I flashed this fw. In windows tb not working just exclamation mark. But in osx Ventura 13.6.4, only one tb port works. What is your suggestion for new fw? Sorry my bad English. Thank you.

 

[scottkendall]

Thank you for answering @scottkendall . I meant V2 is this version. And I flashed this fw. In windows tb not working just exclamation mark. But in osx Ventura 13.6.4, only one tb port works. What is your suggestion for new fw? Sorry my bad English. Thank you.

V2 is a version of the card the firmware is called something else I think NVM50. That said you need to use an external flashing device.
Use these files:

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

The GUI did not work at all... CLI is working over here for backing up/dumping!

www.tonymacx86.com

With This guide.

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

Can you please share your ThunderboltConfig and SSDT? If you're getting a Titan Ridge to work normally, all of us would be extremely interested to see how you did it. EDIT: Maybe I misunderstood. Are you using a flashed GC-Titan Ridge or it still has the original firmware? To me it looks...

www.tonymacx86.com

P.S. This is at your own risk!!

 

[gemini44]

I'm asking so I don't make a mistake. You are right. When I looked at the my PCIe card, and its FW version before flashing in Win 10, it appeared as NVM50. I flashed @CaseySJ's FW to the card with this programmer. Now it is not working in Win 10. My question is, I don't have a Raspberry Pi and will it be a problem if I flash this FW using ch341a programmer? Thanks a lot.

 

[CaseySJ]

I'm asking so I don't make a mistake. You are right. When I looked at the my PCIe card, and its FW version before flashing in Win 10, it appeared as NVM50. I flashed @CaseySJ's FW to the card with this programmer. Now it is not working in Win 10. My question is, I don't have a Raspberry Pi and will it be a problem if I flash this FW using ch341a programmer? Thanks a lot.

It’s okay to flash with a CH341a programmer. We use one that provides 3.3V.

When we flash modified firmware, we enable Thunderbolt Bus in macOS, but this means we can lose some or all compatibility with Windows and Linux.

 

[scottkendall]

I'm asking so I don't make a mistake. You are right. When I looked at the my PCIe card, and its FW version before flashing in Win 10, it appeared as NVM50. I flashed @CaseySJ's FW to the card with this programmer. Now it is not working in Win 10. My question is, I don't have a Raspberry Pi and will it be a problem if I flash this FW using ch341a programmer? Thanks a lot.

As CaseySJ says you will lose some or all the compatibility with Windows. That said you can use the programmer and put your original firmware back on the card, and it will work in Windows. There are ways to get Hot plug to work without modified firmware but for myself that never worked. There are a few general options:

Option A - SSDT
Works in Windows and works in macOS Hot-plug might only work for some devices.

Option B - Modified firmware
Closest to real Mac experiences but likely does not work in Windows at all.

Option C - Do nothing
Works in Windows... Only works in macOS when devices are plugged in on boot (limited Devices work) will brake on sleep or disconnection of devices no hot plug.

 

[gemini44]

Hi again. I flashed fw NVM33. Everything ok but connection direct NVMe enclosure to TB ports not working. Such as my Orico NVMe TB enclosure works OOB with Belkin TB dock 2nd port but not Titan Ridge ports via direct connection. (Hot plug works with Belkin dock.) I added my IOReg and SS. I will be grateful if you could help me. Sorry for my bad English. Thanks a lot. Edit: TB4 SS added

 

[gemini44]

I don't know if it was the EFI changes or the fact that I increased the "Thunderbolt PCIe Cache-line Size setting" in the BIOS settings to 128, but it seems to be working properly in both TB ports now. Orico TB enclosure works OOB with direct connection. Thank you very much for your help.