Predator Triton 500 Thunderbolt issues.

Recently I did a fresh install of windows 10 on my system as I hate all the bloatware that come on systems these days. The only part of the system I cant get to install is the thunderbolt software. I dont even see a listing for thunderbolt in my device manager but there are also no devices with missing drivers. Looked in bios to see if there was a toggle to turn it on as I recently updated the bios as well. It doesnt show up and I cant install any drivers for it or the software either from the driver support page or through the windows store. Not sure whats going on or where it could be? anybody run into these issues or have any advice for getting it to show up? Windows is version 1809.

Accepted answers

Commodore_1995#

OK! Would you like to connect an external monitor to usb port 3.1, to verify that the thunderbolt option is enabled in bios?

Icesick06

FIXED!! All that troubleshooting and here all I needed to do was plug in a thunderbolt 3 device to activate the controller at which point everything installed on its own. So for future reference if anyone else has this problem, the drivers and software won't install until there is an active thunderbolt device plugged into the computer.

To those who tried to help, mostly egydiocoelho, thanks for all the help.

All comments

Commodore_1995#

Hello! What is the exact model of your notebook? Example an515-51-75kz!

Icesick06

egydiocoelho said:

Hello! What is the exact model of your notebook? Example an515-51-75kz!

Model number is PT515-51-75L8

Commodore_1995#

Are TBT functions active on bios? Also, have you downloaded and installed the IO drivers and updated the chipset drivers? https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/IO Drivers/IO Drivers_Intel_30.100.1727.1_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855373026198017&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6
Have you checked that the device is being shown as a hidden device?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/rq/ttkfiav3owcr.png

Icesick06

egydiocoelho said:

Are TBT functions active on bios? Also, have you downloaded and installed the IO drivers and updated the chipset drivers? https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/IO Drivers/IO Drivers_Intel_30.100.1727.1_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855373026198017&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6
Have you checked that the device is being shown as a hidden device?

I have checked hidden devices and it shows nothing. Also the last time I was in the bios, I saw no options for enabling or disabling thunderbolt. Would it go by a different name? I looked at all the descriptions as I went by different options to see what they were for but saw nothing. All drivers are current and up to date. Same file you provided in the link. I know it was there before when I first got the laptop. Not sure why it has disappeared. I was leaning towards the windows 1809 update as I have seen others have deployment issues from other brands after the 1809 but not ruling anything out at this point.

Commodore_1995#

This bios image is from your model's service manual, see:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/9x/lomqo7sxqf1e.png

In addition, you have installed the IO driver that I made available!

Icesick06

egydiocoelho said:

This bios image is from your model's service manual, see:

In addition, you have installed the IO driver that I made available!

Which bios version is this. Mine does not have those options available (running version 1.05)

Commodore_1995#

This is probably a trial version of this template! is version 1.00! This problem came after the bios update? Did you install this driver? https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/IO Drivers/IO Drivers_Intel_30.100.1727.1_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855373026198017&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6

Icesick06

egydiocoelho said:

This is probably a trial version of this template! is version 1.00! This problem came after the bios update? Did you install this driver? https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/IO Drivers/IO Drivers_Intel_30.100.1727.1_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855373026198017&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6

Yes I installed the driver. The problem would have showed up right around the time I upgraded the bios/reinstalled windows (done around the same time). Would have never touched the bios had the ram been running at it's proper speed. Anyway to downgrade bios to check?

Commodore_1995#

I did not understand correctly what you said! After all, the problem with thunderbolt came up after the bios update or not? When you install the thunderbolt driver, what is the message that appears?

Commodore_1995#

Also, which version did you download?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/nh/3q7dl8gg5iql.png

See that there are two thunderbolt drivers:
https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt_Intel_RS4_REV44_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855377430901073&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3#_ga=2.108906240.308658775.1554491162-969768337.1554491162

https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt_Intel_RS4_REV44_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855378247228141&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3

Red-Sand

There is a thunderbolt driver for the Triton on Acer's Driver Download Page.

Just go to the download page and search your model and install the Thunderbolt driver.

Icesick06

egydiocoelho said:

Also, which version did you download?

See that there are two thunderbolt drivers:
https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt_Intel_RS4_REV44_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855377430901073&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3#_ga=2.108906240.308658775.1554491162-969768337.1554491162

https://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Driver/Thunderbolt/Thunderbolt_Intel_RS4_REV44_W10x64_A.zip?acerid=636855378247228141&Step1=NOTEBOOK&Step2=PREDATOR&Step3=PREDATOR PT515-51&OS=ALL&LC=pt&BC=ACER&SC=PA_3

Sorry, did not see that there were 2 thunderbolt drivers. I had the latest drivers tab selected instead of all drivers. I tried this second driver and it still would not work for the thunderbolt driver. Also to answer your last question. I had done the bios update from rev 1.01 to rev 1.05. I did this to fix the speed of the ram as it was only operating at 2400mhz on rev 1.01 bios. Now its operating at 2666mhz on the new rev 1.05. I didn't see any abnormalities due to the new bios, so I then went ahead and installed a fresh copy of windows 10. Was installing all the drivers when I noticed it wouldn't install the thunderbolt drivers. However, you wouldn't know anything is wrong at first glance because the device manager shows everything as good, but scrolling through you can see there is no thunderbolt anywhere in device manager (even after selecting show hidden devices). Then after you showed me the screenshot of the bios thunderbolt settings, did I realize I was missing those options from the bios as well. Well, fast forward to today, I exchanged my laptop out for another one (same triton 500). I immediately went to the bios and could see the thunderbolt options you were talking about. This new one is on bios rev 1.01. After booting into windows, I immediately made a recovery usb as I am going to try and install a fresh copy of windows while leaving everything else untouched. Ill report back after finished to let you know what happened. Thanks for your help so far.

Commodore_1995#

Is there a bug in version 1.05 of bios?

Icesick06

That's what I'm leaning towards as the options for thunderbolt do not appear under bios rev 1.05. reinstalling windows as we speak.

Commodore_1995#

I suggest you do not format hd, not to erase the hidden recovery partition from Acer!

Icesick06

You talking about the Acer disc to disc system recovery?

Commodore_1995#

Yes my friend!

Icesick06

So still working on this but I figured out that the ver 1.05 bios didn't remove the thunderbolt settings in the bios. Windows updates has a insyde firmware that gets downloaded and installed automatically. It restarts the computer and installs before windows. After it installs, the bios shows rev 1.02 and the thunderbolt options are gone. First time having a forced bios update through windows updates.

Commodore_1995#

Yes, current notebooks have a firmware driver that can be updated by windows update, unfortunately! This driver also updates bios! In this case, I suggest you upgrade bios 1.02 by downloading bios directly from the Acer website to see if it fixes the problem! Remember that updating bios is an extra risky procedure and I do not take any responsibility for any damage!

Icesick06

So I guess I should see if im installing this driver correctly. Being that the driver is not a simple setup.exe installation, is there a specific way that I should be installing the driver? Currently ive been running the visual runtimes first installing those, then trying to install the actual thunderbolt control center app. also with the older thunderbolt drivers, I have been using command prompt while running it with administrative privileges following the steps provided in the installation instructions file but still nothing. Im not in much of a hurry with this but my OCD kicks in and I just keep trying to solve it. Everything else seems to be working fine.

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