Thunderbolt display needs to be "prompted" into life with Windows Laptop, help!

Hi all,

I have an old Apple THUNDERBOLT display 27", the 2560*1440 one. It is plugged into a Late '12 Mac Mini (old now I know yes, both of them) with the white MagSafe/Thunderbolt (mini DP shape) tail that comes off the monitor. It seemed to work for a while but no longer did, the display did not detect the Mac. This persisted and I could no longer use the Thunderbolt display, I verified Mac Mini working via HDMI and mini DP protocol (via the Thunderbolt/Mini DP port and into a mini DP monitor, perfect, I also did an NVRAM reset) I also tried my Mid '11 MacBook Pro 13" but that didn't revive it either. "Dead TB monitor" I thought.

On a whim, I plugged in my old ThinkPad with thunderbolt via the DP connector that I used to run the display with when it was still my daily driver and it worked like nothing ever happened! Now the Mac works with it again. Nearly every time I shut the Mac down for a day or more I have to almost "jump start" the Display by plugging in the ThinkPad running Windows, then it works with both of my old Macs. Glad I didn't cut into the Thunderbolt tail looking for broken wires! I had the display half apart and couldn't see anything wrong at all. The tail is stripped of a little of its white outer sheath, revealing the braided outer shield, but as soon as it gets going I can manipulate it at any angle and speed and the signal is perfect! Any ideas?

Thanks!