Thunderbolt Display USB ports screwey?

Well at least they're admitting it now. Try the breaker between the outlet and the display. I think the issue is that even though your computer is disconnected from the display, it is still technically "on" when connected to power, and the usb inputs get locked up. breaking that connection seems to reset it.

hello, i faced up with this problem and discovered that contacts in Apple usb cables, and that extension cable that helps, are placed a little deeper in the USB-plug than in wireless USB keyboard receivers and other peripheral, in which for minimizing, contacts starts right from the end of the pad. So - when plug such a USB devices into back USBs of TBD, do it not to the end, but leave some space. So - contacts are on its places and everything works without extension cables. But its really weird to meet such a featurebugging states on apple device, which costs 1 thousand dollars, because this thing with space between contact and the end of the pad considered in macbook pro own USB ports 🙂🙂

This just started happening to me last week. I just purchased a MacBook Pro and Thunderbolt Display in August. I have two external drives and a keyboard plugged into my Thunderbolt USB ports. It seems the problem starts after the MBP goes to sleep once. The drives disconnect (I get a notice that the drives were not ejected properly) and the keyboard no longer works. This will happen a minute or two after waking. And, just now, I unplugged and re-plugged in the drives and they are working but I wound up plugging the keyboard into one of the MBP ports. Up until last week, the MBP would go to sleep and wake just fine and all peripherals worked.

Has there been a software update that could have caused this? I'm still on Mavericks and considering going to Yosemite soon but wanted to wait until any initial bugs were worked out. Advice?

I have dealt with this for a year and a half. I pretty much just take it for granted now that the T-bolt display looks beautiful, and that is why I bought it, but I can't rely on it has a USB or Firewire hub. There is something wrong with the way it's hardware integrates the info from the Thunderbolt cable. The best way I was able to test this was the use of a USB audio interface through the display. It was absolutely terrible- I was able to connect and get it running, but all the audio had horrible static running through it. The issue with static only resolved when I used the USB on the MBP directly, and decided to not use the Thunderbolt display's USB or Firewire hub at all. Too bad Apple couldn't deliver on its promise, and doesn't seem to care at all about its customers at all in this regard.

Hi

Solve the problem – Your power cord must be connected to a socket with Earth (Protection Earth typical marked PE).

I read a lead where a guy said that static electricity build-up (in you) can trigger the macbook's internal USB controller, because it can sense the transient voltage spike as an over-current condition and will therefore shut down (suspended) the offending devices on the associated port.

I have had this problem for a long time without solving it, besides unplugging a million times. But reading the thing about static electricity... rang a bell for me "EARTH Connection" I was only connected with 2 pin connector (Phase and Zero) I was running without protection Earth. I replaced my power cord with a 3-pin cable (Phase, Zero and PE) and connected that to a 3-pin socket. It worked right away. Why because PE eliminates static electricity besides being a protection against hazard electrical chock.

KlixDK,

That is a good thought, but I think most of us here are plugging in our Macs, peripherals, as well as the Thunderbolt displays with the 3-pronged grounded (Earth) pins. The only way not to would be to use one of those 3-2 pin adapters, which is never a good idea when using electronics.

Or maybe I misinterpreted your post?

I recently had the same experience with my display. After going through all the recommended fixes without success, I noted that my Mac Air "rubberized" travel cover was not in its normal location, i.e. isolating the MacAir from the display base. The misplacement created a direct metal to metal contact between the computer & display. I reposition the cover to isolate the devises and rebooted. Everything seems to be back to normal.