HP PCs - Connecting Thunderbolt Devices

Configuring the Thunderbolt firmware on an HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-40xx or 15-41xx Ultrabook

This document applies to HP and Compaq PCs with a Thunderbolt port.

About Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt is a high-speed Input/Output (I/O) technology that enables the computer to connect to up to six devices through a single connector. Data and display signals can be carried over one Thunderbolt cable at the same time.

To use a Thunderbolt device with your HP or Compaq computer, you must have the following:

A computer with a Thunderbolt port. The Thunderbolt port is compatible with Mini DisplayPort, enabling you to connect to native DisplayPort devices.
A Thunderbolt device.

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HP recommends using Thunderbolt devices that are certified to work with Windows. For more information, see the next section, About Thunderbolt compatibility

About Thunderbolt compatibility

Thunderbolt devices can be certified to work with the Windows operating system, Mac OS, or both Windows and Mac OS. By default, HP and Compaq computers are configured to recognize only Thunderbolt devices that are certified to work with Windows. For a list of Thunderbolt devices and their operating system certifications, go to https://thunderbolttechnology.net/products.

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Check the device manufacturer's Web site for any known issues and for a Windows driver before connecting a Thunderbolt device to the computer. Some devices listed as certified for Windows may still require you to configure the firmware or download and install a Windows driver before they are recognized by your computer. This situation can happen when a device was recently certified for Windows, after your device was manufactured. Operating system compatibility cannot be updated on Thunderbolt devices after they are manufactured.

To configure the Thunderbolt firmware on the computer and use a non-Windows certified device with an HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-40xx or 15-41xx Ultrabook, see Configuring the Thunderbolt firmware on an HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-40xx or 15-41xx Ultrabook.

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A device that is not certified for Windows may not be recognized by the computer, even after configuring the firmware. Using a non-Windows certified Thunderbolt device can cause performance issues, including intermittent drops in connectivity and data loss. Check the device manufacturer's Web site for any known issues and install a Windows driver if one is available.

Troubleshooting issues with Thunderbolt

Use the following sections to troubleshoot problems with Thunderbolt.

My computer does not recognize a Thunderbolt device

A Thunderbolt device may not be recognized by your computer for a few different reasons. Thunderbolt products not certified for Windows are not recognized by an HP or Compaq computer unless the firmware is configured to recognize them. Some devices require you to install the Windows drivers before they can be used with a computer running the Windows operating system. Devices may not be recognized by the computer if the device is not connected when the computer starts up.

Configure the Thunderbolt firmware on the computer

By default, HP or Compaq computers do not recognize a Thunderbolt device that is not certified for Windows. To find a list of Thunderbolt devices that are certified for Windows, go to https://thunderbolttechnology.net/products and select Windows as the Operating System.

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Some devices listed as certified for Windows may still require you to configure the firmware before they are recognized by your computer. This situation can happen when a device was recently certified for Windows, after your device was manufactured. Operating system compatibility cannot be updated on Thunderbolt devices after they are manufactured.

Check the Thunderbolt device manufacturer's Web site for a Windows driver

You may need to install a Windows driver before the computer can recognize the Thunderbolt device. Some manufacturers of Thunderbolt devices post Windows drivers on their Web sites. Check the manufacturer's Web site for any known issues and install a Windows driver if one is available.

Restart the computer with the device connected

Some devices may get activated and recognized during the startup process only. Restart the computer with the Thunderbolt device connected and turned on to see if the computer recognizes it.

My computer does not go into sleep mode when a Thunderbolt device is connected

Some Thunderbolt devices may cause sleep mode to be disabled. If you want the computer to enter sleep mode, disconnect the Thunderbolt device.

Configuring the Thunderbolt firmware on an HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-40xx or 15-41xx Ultrabook

By default, an HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-40xx or 15-41xx Ultrabook does not recognize Thunderbolt products that are not certified for Windows. If you wish to use a non-Windows certified Thunderbolt device with this computer, you can configure the Thunderbolt firmware on the computer.

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A non-Windows certified device may not be recognized by the computer, even after configuring the firmware on the computer. Using a non-Windows certified Thunderbolt device can cause performance issues, including intermittent drops in connectivity and data loss.

Follow these steps to configure the firmware on an HP Spectre XT TouchSmart 15-40xx or 15-41xx Ultrabook:

Open the Thunderbolt Firmware Configuration Utility (sp61579).
Click Run to open the utility.
Click Next.

Figure : Thunderbolt Configuration Utility
Accept the terms of the license agreement, and then click Next on this window and the next window.

Figure : End User License Agreement
Click Continue.

Figure : Welcome to the Thunderbolt Firmware configuration utility
Check the current firmware configuration. If you want to change the configuration, click Continue.

Figure : Current Thunderbolt Firmware configuration
Select Configure your PC to work with any Thunderbolt devices to enable the Thunderbolt firmware to work with non-Windows certified devices. Then click Continue.

Figure : Choose a configuration
Click Finish to exit the configuration utility and restart the computer.

Figure : Configuration complete

When the computer restarts, the Thunderbolt port is now configured.

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If the device is not recognized after configuring the Thunderbolt port, check the device manufacturer's Web site for any known issues and install a Windows driver if one is available.