Thunderbolt 4 Not Working on Alienware M18 R1

[invader]

Kernel: 6.8.0-52-generic
Operating System: Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS
Hardware Model: Alienware M18 R1

The firmware is up to date in the firmware updater.

I want to use my new LaCie SSD Pro5 with the Thunderbolt 4 port on my Alienware M18 R1 laptop. The LaCie SSD Pro5 works perfectly with the same OS and same kernel on my Dell Latitude 9330 laptop, but on the Alienware M18 R1, it doesn't work. How is that possible?

The BIOS settings for Thunderbolt are identical on both laptops.

The SSD does not appear in Disks or under 'Settings > Privacy & Security > Thunderbolt' on the Alienware laptop.

When using the USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port on the Alienware, the SSD works, but much slower than with Thunderbolt 4.

I’m posting the information that ChatGPT asked for. Unfortunately, ChatGPT couldn't help me either.

If anyone could help me, I would be really grateful. I've searched extensively online but haven't found anything that helps.

yourusername@yourusername-Alienware-m18-R1:~$ ls /sys/bus/thunderbolt/devices/
0-0  domain0

yourusername@yourusername-Alienware-m18-R1:~$ boltctl list
yourusername@yourusername-Alienware-m18-R1:~$

yourusername@yourusername-Alienware-m18-R1:~$ sudo dmesg | grep -i thunderbolt
[sudo] password for yourusername: 
[    1.160772] ACPI: bus type thunderbolt registered
[    5.841549] Modules linked in: usbhid r8152(+) mii hid_sensor_custom hid_sensor_hub intel_ishtp_hid hid_multitouch hid_generic crct10dif_pclmul crc32_pclmul polyval_clmulni polyval_generic ghash_clmulni_intel nvme intel_lpss_pci i2c_hid_acpi r8169 rtsx_pci_sdmmc ucsi_acpi sha256_ssse3 nvme_core intel_lpss intel_ish_ipc video xhci_pci typec_ucsi i2c_hid sha1_ssse3 psmouse realtek thunderbolt nvme_auth rtsx_pci idma64 intel_ishtp xhci_pci_renesas typec hid wmi pinctrl_alderlake aesni_intel crypto_simd cryptd

yourusername@yourusername-Alienware-m18-R1:~$ lspci | grep -i thunderbolt
02:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Thunderbolt 4 Bridge [Maple Ridge 4C 2020] (rev 02)
03:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Thunderbolt 4 Bridge [Maple Ridge 4C 2020] (rev 02)
03:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Thunderbolt 4 Bridge [Maple Ridge 4C 2020] (rev 02)
03:02.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Thunderbolt 4 Bridge [Maple Ridge 4C 2020] (rev 02)
03:03.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Thunderbolt 4 Bridge [Maple Ridge 4C 2020] (rev 02)
04:00.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Thunderbolt 4 NHI [Maple Ridge 4C 2020]
38:00.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Thunderbolt 4 USB Controller [Maple Ridge 4C 2020]

And the following happens when I connect the SSD:

yourusername@yourusername-Alienware-m18-R1:~$ sudo dmesg -w
[ 4026.974282] usb 1-2: new full-speed USB device number 20 using xhci_hcd
[ 4027.103041] usb 1-2: New USB device found, idVendor=059f, idProduct=1130, bcdDevice= 0.01
[ 4027.103045] usb 1-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 4027.103046] usb 1-2: Product: Rugged SSD PRO5
[ 4027.103048] usb 1-2: Manufacturer: LaCie
[ 4027.103049] usb 1-2: SerialNumber: [REDACTED]

 

[Brickwizard]

on the Alienware M18 R1, it doesn't work. How is that possible?

Could be you need to change some of the USB & boot settings in the BIOS/UEFI

 

[invader]

But they are already the same as on the Dell Latitude 9330 and there it works.