MBP 13 2020 won't recognize USB devices from TB dock after sleeping and connecting to the dock. After unplugging the dock MBP crashes and does SMC reset

After updating to 10.15.7, I am having the same issues as before. Now with new issues with visible software glitches (mouse cursor lags across the screen, applications acting slowly, sound glitches) when the Mac is forced to restart which ends up requiring another restart.

I sure hope the diagnostic info I sent to Apple amounts to something.

@logicito: could you please check for kext difference between versions?

I'm not sure whether kexts are always recompiled even between minor versions of MacOS, but if they are not - maybe we can pinpoint the kext responsible for Thunderbolt and inject the 10.15.5 Thunderbolt kext to our newer 10.15.7 MacOS and it may potentially fix the issue for us. Naturally I'm not sure whether the kext would be compatible with 10.15.7 MacOS (kernel), but there is a chance.

These are all brilliant suggestions, but why isn't Apple doing anything? I just posted to twitter: Anybody out there remember “I”m a Mac”/“I’m a PC”? Do you feel like the tables have turned? Random reboots, ‘printer not connected’, wonky USB C ports, … A loyal Mac user for 20+ years (heck my 2ci is still in the garage), I’m very disappointed @Apple. 

I normally leave my Mac plugged in to my dock with the dock powered off. (I switch between the CalDigit TS3 and the Anker PowerExpand Elite) This morning when I woke my Mac, the thunderbolt ports (all four) were only using reception scripts (insofar as the ports themselves would not transmit to the dock, to the attached peripherals, but they would receive A/C power just fine). When performing a restart the Mac hung and crashed, following that with a new boot cycle.

The error messages reporting kernel issues are pretty spot on. I get them almost everyday as well as one pertaining to the thunderbolt controller. Kernel issues are onboard AND so is the thunderbolt controller - both functions are IN the CPU. At first, this made me think that there could be a glitch on specific cuts of Intel Gen 10 that weren't up to snuff and were the cause. But not everyone in this conversation has 10th Gen. Then its simple. Using some deduction, the issue seems to be firmware. While some may have noticed that older versions of MacOS lessen the symptomology of the issue we are investigating, the older versions most likely don't ever access the overclocking and core functions of the newer chips in any sense, and therefore wouldn't accidentally trip the over voltage on the controller on the chip.

It's not software. It's not hardware *(well sort of). It's firmware.

What is the Boot ROM version on your computer? You can check that in System Information, Hardware section, If iBridge start with 18. that is the Big Sur firmware, if it is 17. It is the Catalina firmware, I found that the problems happens to me with 18. Firmware, because I had installed Big Sur, then went back to Catalina, and the firmware doesn’t get reverted back to a Catalina firmware.

I had the flickering issue as well, I did a Safe Boot, SMC and PRAM reset and no more flickering, something was corrupted after the Big Sur installation, everything has been working fine for the last 24 hours, no Panic Crashes and no flickering, very stable Beta so far.

Commenting in the hopes of gaining some traction. Still an issue under 10.15.7, apple thunderbolt display to TB3 adapter, as well as TB display connected to a Belkin TB2 dock. Constant crashes, USB not working (thought it was TBD USB hub at first).

This is a completely unacceptable solution, and has made my already bitter purchase of a 2020 MBA that can cook eggs on the processor that much more aggravating. This whole machine has been a complete disaster, was delivered with a blown left speaker (crackled, right out of the box). Everybody can gripe about the decline of apple, yadda yadda. I'll consider this a bad apple. But as a collector with over 50+ macs, I have to say, this has probably been the worst hardware + software package I've ever purchased from them...2020 MBA i5 16gb ram. Was so excited to finally replace my 2013 i7 MBA, a true champ.

Apple...get your stuff together, patch this already. You relegate us to a single port - USB C. You market it as the do-all port. Make it do.

P.S. - Healthcare industry worker, lost valuable data in a draft document due to this crash. My work computer is now unreliable to use as a workstation.

Well, that´s indeed strange. In my Setup (same as above, except I´m running OS 10.15.7 Catalina and TS3+) the crashing also occurs in case the Computer goes to Stby while connected to the dock.

Scenario: leave connected to dock, go to lunch. Return and pick up Macbook (went to Stby meanwhile) for a Zoom meeting or so in another room. Finish, let go to Stby (lid closed) and go back to desk. Connect. Alas: Crash!

I tried with a whole lot of different samples (various Thunderbolt Cinema Displays, various Thunderbolt Cables, even got another brand new Macbook Pro 13" (4 Thunderbolts). Same thing all over.

Even in 10.15.7. Catalina. Even when not "Hot Disconnecting".

To all folks at Apple: This is a Macbook! Not a 97 Windows Computer that crashes 2 out of three when undocking!

Never believed engineers would fall to such lame excuse (I am one myself, working a few years as a Sw Architect ...)

I guess you are spot on with this ;-)

Because just yesterday, I had the case when the machine did not crash on re-connect, but "only" all USB devices connected via the USB hub in the LG Ultrafine 5k were dead. So for a change, I plugged my USB hub from the display's USB port directly to one of the free TB3 ports on the other side of my MBP. It instantly connected all USB devices.

So obviously the messup caused by display disconnect seems local to the right or left TB3 controller, and the "other side" remains operational. I suspect however that simply changing sides does not work multiple times (and @logicito seems to confirm that).

I fully agree with you that this must be a incomplete cleanup on disconnect problem in the macOS USB/TB3 stack. Something in the controller or in the driver responsible for it gets stuck when the display is disconnected. Apparently, this can have different possible consequences - immediate crash, crash when re-connecting display, USB dead in reconnected display.

In my experience there's no clear pattern what happens when, so I guess it's just something with uninitialized memory, so while the cause is always the disconnect, the exact consequences are random. Sometimes it even works as it should (maybe 1 out of 10 disconnects)

Still crashes with the latest supplemental update (19H15), doesn’t appear that there are any fixes. I’ve run through the exact steps I’ve sent over to apple support twice with 19H15 and had kernel panic’s both times.

I sent over some very detailed reproduction steps to apple support 2 or so weeks ago with another set of logs. I was told they had some reports of the issue and it was still being investigated.

I have the exact same issue with my new MBP2020 and the CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock. When I unplug the dock or even when I close the lid (putting the MBP in sleep mode) with dock still connected and then when I open the lid, I get the Intel crash error message.

MacOS Catalina 10.15.17

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)

2.3 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

Intel Iris Plus Graphics 1536 MB

Such a disappointment...

@Donrad, I also have the MacBook Pro (2020), only with a CalDigit TS3 dock. A lot of issues with Catalina, but since the update to Big Sur my issues seem to be resolved. I have tested it two days now, in both cases no issues. I think you should consider an upgrade.

The Apple Support Hotline told me that they did not know about any of these problems. They proposed me to install a clean system on another volume in order to find out if the problem occurs there as well.

As the system usually crashes after sometime, I cannot and do not want to spend time sitting in front of an empty system with which I cannot work. The second "alternative" of the Apple support was to bring the Macbook into their store.

Both alternatives do not seem to be very promising as long as Apple neglect any knowledge of the problem.

Has anybody an idea how to force the error on a clean system? How can I find out if it will work or not?

Kind regards

I can confirm that Big Sur has resolved my kernel panic and USB bus issues. Unplugging / sleeping / etc all caused issues with the USB bus becoming unresponsive and eventually the system rebooting with a kernel panic. This behavior was consistent regardless of which thunderbolt 3 dock I used. Previous to upgrading I had daily kernel panics based on moving my laptop to/from my desk and dock. Now with Big Sur, I have not had a single thunderbolt or USB based issue.

Mac Configuration:

13" 2020 MacBook Pro

i5

16 Gigs Ram

1TB HDD

This issue occurred on both these docks:

CalDigit TS3 Plus

Stone Pro Dock

Since upgrading to Big Sur I have had zero lockups or USB bus failures. I am running the same MacBook Pro through a CalDigit TS3 Plus hub. Connected accessories include:

Monitors:

1x BenQ SW2700PT running at 2560x1440 (DP to DP Cable)

1x BenQ SW270C running at 2560x1440 (UNI USB-C to HDMI adapter)

USB:

Logitech universal wireless receiver for MX Master 3 mouse

Samson Q2U USB microphone

Cheap Amazon HDMI to USB input device

I've been running the release version of Big Sur since launch day.

I'm very frustrated that Apple took so long to resolve this issue, and that it's not been clearly communicated by the company. That being said, I'm glad that upgrading has resolved the issues with my setup.

I'm on Catalina 10.15.7 and have been experiencing exactly the same behaviour. I'm using a Lenovo ThinkPad Thunderbolt 3 Dock (I know!) and would experience the problem at least once a day. My set-up had the Macbook being powered by via the dock (135W coming into that which should be plenty with the official Macbook power adapter being rated at 61W).

Anyway, I have not experienced any problems since connecting the official Macbook power adapter directly to my Macbook as well as my Dock. No more Intel Crashlog related restarts, no more USB devices not being connected until reboot, and no more long logins. It's a pain I'm having to use 2x power adapters, one to the dock and one to the Macbook but hey at least the reboots have gone and I can actually use my dock.

I appreciate it would be ideal for Apple to fix this as it never happened on Mojave, but this has worked for me and I'm stuck on Catalina for other reasons.. Hope it helps others.