USB-C issues with NUC11

[Olivierl]

Dear community,
I'm having terrible USB issues with NUC11TNBi5.

Here is the tested configuration:
Windows 10 pro
12V power supply
RAM Corsair de 8 GB
SSD NVMe Kingston KC2000 256 GB
Main monitor USB-C (Philips 243B1/00 with HUB USB and ethernet and own power supply)
Second monitor on HDMI (projector)
Mouse and keyboard plugged on the USB HUB of the main monitor

This configuration has been installed successfully many times with NUC7i5 but failed systematically on NUC11 (3 boards tested) !!!

Problems observed:
- Board 1 : USB-C not powered (DOA ?)
- Board 2 : big lag on Windows when mouse and keyboard plugged on the HUB
- Board 3 : mouse, keyboard and USB keys not detected when plugged on the HUB (only USB3.0 peripherals are detected!)
- Boards 2 and 3 : if an extension USB-C cable is used (required in the final config), the monitor is not anymore detected

Actions tried without success :
- Update Windows 10 (all available)
- Drivers updates (all Intel via their website, Philips driver for monitor, BIOS)
- Change USB-C port
- Reinstall Windows
- Try with another keyboard, mouse our monitor
- Try with different cables

Also, if the main monitor is connected in HDMI via an USB-C dock (connected to the NUC), the extension cable works, but USB2.0 peripheral still do not.

I'm lost. Do you have any idea to solve those problems ?

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Olivierl, Thank you for posting in the Intel® Communities Support.

Just to confirm, if you connect the USB devices directly to the USB ports of the Intel® NUC, without using HUBs or extensions is the problem the same?

Even though you mentioned that you already updated the BIOS, please try a BIOS recovery to the latest version 0056, following the instructions in the links below, try first the BIOS recovery with the "Power Button" and the if it does not work, use the "BIOS Jumper" method:

https://downloadmirror.intel.com/30519/eng/NUC-AptioV-UEFI-Firmware-BIOS-Update-Readme.pdf

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/30519/BIOS-Update-TNTGL357-

If the problem persists after trying those steps, Please attach the SSU report so we can verify further details about the components in your platform, please check all the options in the report including the one that says "3rd party software logs":

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/25293/Intel-System-Support-Utility-for-Windows-?product=91600

Any questions, please let me know.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Olivierl]

Hi,

Yes without HUB it is working fine except we cannot plug all the devices we want.

We already tried updating the BIOS and the Thunderbolt drivers but without any result.

What surprise me the most is that this hardware configuration was working fine on NUC7i5 (except for mouse and keyboard that sometimes can make the PC lag when plugged via USB-C hub, but not anymore on USB-A 3.0 hub).

I will send you SSU report asap.

Best regards,

[LeonWaksman]

Hi @Olivierl 

In your first post you mentioned: "12V power supply" is it typing error? If it isn't an typing error and you are using 12V Power Supply, can you check, how this board works with 19V Power Supply?

Leon

[Olivierl]

- 19V Power supply does not make any difference unfortunately.

- I also tried the BIOS recovery but the problem is still there.

- I also checked the USB-C cables specifications and they are USB 3.1 Gen1. It was sufficient for NUC7 but is it still OK for NUC11 ?

I noticed two things that may help to solve the problem :

- When the NUC is started, it makes time to detect the USB-C monitor (I don't see the "Intel NUC" startup screen) and sometimes I even need to unplug/re-plug the monitor to be detected

- On the Intel NUC startup screen I see a "System in manufacturing mode"

PLease find attached the SSU report.

[LeonWaksman]

Please check in BIOS, the ME Firmware version : 15.0.10.1469 and the EC Firmware version: TIGA340000.

Leon

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello Olivierl, Thank you very much for providing those results and the SSU report.

We are sorry to hear the issue persists after trying the BIOS recovery. Just to confirm did you check in the BIOS that the ME Firmware version: 15.0.10.1469 and the EC Firmware version: TIGA340000?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Olivierl]

Hi,

I don't have access to the PCs for few days. I'll check firmwares version asap.

I will also try with a different brand/model of USB-C monitor and make you a feedback.

I have the feeling that USB-C outputs are just not managed correctly. For your information, I also tried updating manually the USB Type C Power Delivery Controller drivers, but it didn't make any difference.

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hi Olivierl, Thank you very much for providing that information.

No problem at all, take your time and once you get the chance, please let us the results.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Hello Olivierl, I just wanted to check if you were able to perform the tests and if you already have the results of them?

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Olivierl]

Hi,

After deeper investigation I think our problem is related to the type (?) of USB-C cable we use (or NUC power management):

- When I use our regular USB C 3.1 2.5m cable connected to a dock, ethernet and displayport signal works but never the USB ports (detected by Windows as unknown) even if I disconnect the ethernet or the screen

- With the 1.5m USB-C cable provided with the screen everything almost works (except keyboard or mouse that make wWindows laggy when not connected to an USB A port of the NUC)

The strange thing is that on NUC7 our cable works ! Is there a cable incompatibility with this new model or a shorter cable length limit for some reasons ?

Maybe it is not related but I also killed a USB key during investigation (power delivery issue ?). The NUC is powered in 12V with a standard 300W PC ATX power supply.

For your information, ME firmware version is 15.0.10.1469 and EC firmware 36.00.00

[Alberto_R_Intel]

Olivierl, Thank you very much for sharing those updates.

We will do further research on this matter, as soon as I get any updates I will post all the details on this thread.

Regards,

Albert R.

Intel Customer Support Technician

[Ronny_G_Intel]

Hi @Olivierl 

There are a few differences if you compare 7th generation NUCs vs more recent systems, for instance: NUC11TNBi5, and I am not saying 11th generation in general because there are differences between the models that we have available.

7th generation NUC uses Thunderbolt* 3: 40Gbps capable and it is USB3.1 connection, charging capabilities up to 5V at 3A.

The NUC11TNBi5 uses Thunderbolt 3 but USB4 and of course still USB3 capable with a 15W port bus power and 7.5W port bus power.

With that in mind, I have to say that while we try to stay compatible with most 3rd party devices, there could still be compatibility issues especially when technology changes and this is just my personal opinion but there are instances in which a device that works on a specific NUC model or generation doesn't work on a newer revision, this is possible, again, we try to stay backwards compatible but all NUC models are different.

I hope this helps and please let us know if you need further assistance.

Regards,

Ronny G

[Olivierl]

Hi,

Indeed it seems to be an hardware compatibility issue. If I change both the monitor and USB-C cable references, the most annoying problem (monitor USB HUB not recognized) is solved.

I can understand for the monitor but it remains a mystery about the cables as they have identical specifications and both work well with other non-NUC PC configs.

Anyway, I will keep that new configuration for the future installations with NUC11 and hop everything goes well.

Thank you for assistance,

Olivier.