You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

BobbyTung Author

Level 1

2 points

Thunderbolt Display USB and FaceTime and Audio not work after firmware 1.2 update

I see lots of the symptom here. Here is mine:

After update to firmware 1.2, recent I woke up my Mac, Everything but display is gone from my Thunderbolt Display.

My Mac is MacBook Pro 13 inches with retina display and OS X Yosemite 10.10.1.

What still works?

Charging, LED on Magsafe works.
Display, the monitor works as usual.

What do not works?

Audio, output/input device do not show on System Preference.
Brightness adjust: F1 and F2 do not work anymore.
FaceTime Camera is gone, even Skype cannot detect that.
Firewire 800, Ethernet, USB ports not work.

What proofs the hardware is ok?

When I unplugged the thunderbolt connector from my Mac, the USB works, to charging my iPhone.
When I boot with Windows 8.1 from Bootcamp, Windows can detect my Thunderbolt display audio, but the sound is very tiny. Ports and FaceTime do not work.

What I've tried?

SMC reset,
PRAM reset,
Hardware test,
unplugged everything from TBD for whole night.
Switch to my Mac mini, same issue.

I guess there's no problem with the hardware, but after sleep, the firmware locked something in the sleep statues permanently. I use my TBD for two years and out of warranty, It seems cost $500+ to replace the logic board. Waiting for firmware 1.3 and pray for fix.

Thunderbolt Display (27-inch), OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Dec 13, 2014 12:46 PM

24 replies

psresnik

Level 1

0 points

Apr 13, 2015 6:58 AM in response to BobbyTung

Just another datapoint... I found my way to this thread by searching for "Thunderbolt camera does not work". I've also been having a problem with the USB connection on the Thunderbolt for my keyboard, which I'd been able to resolve regularly, but annoyingly, by unplugging the keyboard USB cable and plugging it back in.

Based on the discussion on this thread, I tried unplugging my Thunderbolt from power while everything else remained connected, waited 30sec, then plugged it back in. Everything now appears to be working ok. Below is system information in case that might be helpful to someone.

Thunderbolt Bus: Vendor Name: Apple Inc. Device Name: MacBook Pro UID: Firmware Version: 17.1 Domain UUID: Port: Status: Device connected Link Status: 0x2 Current Link Width: 0x1 Receptacle: 1 Cable Firmware Version: 0.1.18 Cable Serial Number: Link Controller Firmware Version: 0.12.0 Port: Status: Device connected Link Status: 0x2 Current Link Width: 0x1 Receptacle: 2 Link Controller Firmware Version: 0.12.0 Thunderbolt Display: Vendor Name: Apple Inc. Device Name: Thunderbolt Display Vendor ID: 0x1 Device ID: 0x8002 Device Revision: 0x1 UID: 0x0001000000000000 Route String: 1 Firmware Version: 26.2 Port (Upstream): Status: Device connected Link Status: 0x2 Port Micro Firmware Version: 2.0.7 Cable Firmware Version: 0.1.18 Cable Serial Number: Port: Status: No device connected Link Status: 0x7 Port Micro Firmware Version: 2.0.7 Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter: Vendor Name: Apple Inc. Device Name: Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter Vendor ID: 0x1 Device ID: 0x8003 Device Revision: 0x1 UID: Apple Serial Number: Route String: 3 Firmware Version: 5.5 Port (Upstream): Status: Device connected Link Status: 0x2 Port Micro Firmware Version: 0.0.8

Apr 15, 2015 5:34 AM in response to BobbyTung

Same problems here. It's pretty obvious firmware update 1.2 is the culprit. I contacted Apple twice about it, even had a manager on the phone. Basically they just told me they 'can't do anything right now' and they won't repair the display without charging me. Only thing to do is 'wait'. Obviously this is pretty bad service.

And the update has been out for months now. It should've been fixed by now.

Annoying, I also sent an e-mail about these issues to several Mac oriented websites like MacRumors in the hope that they will cover it and put some pressure on Apple to provide a fix quickly, but they didn't even bother replying, let alone publish it.

It seems like nobody cares about Thunderbolt Display users, not Apple, not Apple news sites.

I can tell you that I'll never buy an Apple display after this. Better to stick to their 'consumer' (popular) products, at least those have decent support.

desktapp

Level 1

8 points

Apr 15, 2015 11:42 AM in response to _Freighter_

Same issue here.

The audio is really bad and there is no way to make it work properly.

When you play something just after few minutes the sound start to become low and a rustle covers it until it stops completely.

I called the Apple support but no solution has been found.

Really disappointing, especially considering the price pf the device!

Apr 26, 2015 4:16 AM in response to psresnik

Audio output re-appeared after un-plugging and plugging the TB display...

May 7, 2015 1:48 AM in response to jakbrasil

For me, sometimes it will only take one reset (unplugging everything from mac and then unplugging TB display power for 30 secs). Other times it can take hours!

We need 1.3 firmware Apple!!! I've had this problem for 8 months!!!

Oct 4, 2015 2:05 AM in response to BobbyTung

I had got the same problem with Yosemite, now i've installed OS X 10.11 and seems that the issue was solved

jahinton

Level 1

0 points

Jan 7, 2016 2:20 PM in response to BobbyTung

I tried everything I could on here - SMC and PRAM resets, unplugging from wall, everything. I was convinced it was something with the firmware that couldn't be fixed and called Apple Support. They couldn't help and recommended going to the store. I was pessimistic about getting any help but went in anyway. It turned out to be the "all-in-one" thunderbolt cable. The display worked but camera, audio, brightness controls, USB ports, etc. didn't work and that was the problem. Pay $30 for a new cord or, as I chose to do, have the permanent one replaced for $110 and I'm back in business.

BobbyTung Author

Level 1

2 points

Mar 29, 2016 2:18 AM in response to BobbyTung

Ok,

After calling again and again, finally I brought my Thunderbolt display to a authorized service provider (still no Apple Store in Taiwan meow ). They took me $40 fee to find where the problem is. The result:

Logic board broken
the connector between Logic board and display/iSight broken
Unstable power supply

If I want to repair it, they will charge $1,100, more than new one.

They ask me: Had your display been thunder stroke?

No, I just upgrade to firmware 1.2.

I decide to take it back and wait someday Apple announce recall program.

BobbyTung Author

Level 1

2 points

Mar 31, 2016 1:22 PM in response to BobbyTung

Good news from this thread.

I plug my MacBook Pro to Thunderbolt Display without the cable on monitor but a 0.5m thunderbolt cable and it works!

Now I have to complain to the service provider.

Thunderbolt Display USB and FaceTime and Audio not work after firmware 1.2 update