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OWC Thunderbay4 can't connect to Mac mini M4pro [Solved]

OftheSeven

OftheSeven

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 17, 2022
11
12
I just finished a clean install on my new Mac mini M4pro 24/512.
Everything went smoothly until I plugged in my OWC Thunderbay 4 enclosure and I received this message: "Cannot Use Thunderbolt accessory Connect to a Thunderbolt port on this Mac"

I tried different direct ports on the Mac, I don't think it's the cable because the Thunderbay works on my Intel Mac (2018), M1 laptop, M2 laptop.
The only difference between the machines is the M4 is running Sequoia while the others are on Sonoma and Ventura.

I see there may be a firmware update on the Thunderbay but it doesn't appear to relate to OS.

Any thoughts?
 
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I'd certainly update the firmware; it may not be an OS issue so much as the chipset on the new mini.
 
The M4 Mac mini is the first Mac mini that Apple has shipped that doesn't have every USB-C port enabled with Thunderbolt. It's nice they kick that system message when a TB devices is connected to one of the front USB 10Gb/s ports.

I don't doubt there will be plenty of M4 Mac mini users encountering this. Especially since would be used to every Mac mini USB-C port having Thunderbolt capability on all the prior USB-C equipped models.

No firmware update, cable change, etc is required to use any of our OWC Thunderbolt devices on these latest Macs. Plug n' Play and go. Plug into a Thunderbolt enabled USB-C port and you're off to the races.
 
Last edited:
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Teddy Leung said:
So the first post is a special case ? 🤔
I don’t want have this problem too. 😅
Click to expand...
Front ports on the Mac mini are only for USB 3 10Gb/s. Based on the message that came up on the system, as emoon3 suggests, use of those front ports was being attempted.

Zero issue to expect when connecting Thunderbay or any of our Thunderbolt solutions to a Thunderbolt port on the back of the new M4 mini.
 
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OWC Larry said:
The M4 Mac mini is the first Mac mini that Apple has shipped that doesn't have every USB-C port enabled with Thunderbolt. It's nice they kick that system message when a TB devices is connected to one of the front USB 10Gb/s ports.

I don't doubt there will be plenty of M4 Mac mini users encountering this. Especially since would be used to every Mac mini USB-C port having Thunderbolt capability on all the prior USB-C equipped models.

No firmware update, cable change, etc is required to use any of our OWC Thunderbolt devices on these latest Macs. Plug n' Play and go. Plug into a Thunderbolt enabled USB-C port and you're off to the races.
Click to expand...
Thank you emoon3 and Larry....you are correct, user error.

I used the back port with a dongle that I thought supported TB, received the error message, and tried the front port and received the same message. When I plugged into my laptops and everything worked, I started down the wrong path of thinking it was an OS issue or something related.
 
Glad all good to go! Thanks for the update.

As a general note - there is not a single USB-C extension cable in the world that is approved/certified for use. Thunderbolt cables are designed with precision for the different lengths they come in. Aspects for power and signal timing part of the engineering that insures consistent, reliable, error free operation.

I'd strongly advise against USB-C to USB-C extension cables in general vs. using a cable of the desired length suitable for the device/interface. While less of an issue for USB 5Gb/s or 10Gb/s, any extension can impact signal integrity + sap some power off the line as well.

Onward and upwards! Enjoy that M4 Pro mini!
 
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OWC Larry said:
Glad all good to go! Thanks for the update.

As a general note - there is not a single USB-C extension cable in the world that is approved/certified for use. Thunderbolt cables are designed with precision for the different lengths they come in. Aspects for power and signal timing part of the engineering that insures consistent, reliable, error free operation.

I'd strongly advise against USB-C to USB-C extension cables in general vs. using a cable of the desired length suitable for the device/interface. While less of an issue for USB 5Gb/s or 10Gb/s, any extension can impact signal integrity + sap some power off the line as well.

Onward and upwards! Enjoy that M4 Pro mini!
Click to expand...
Hello Larry, I have a QWC thunderbolt 2 dock that I cant seem to get up and running with my base model M4 Mac Mini, I have tried a couple different adapters to get the thunderbolt cable into the USB-c, thunderbolt 4 input on the rear of the Mac Mini but it does not connect.
Could you recommend a cable/adapter that will do the job?
Thanks,
David
 
OftheSeven said:
I just finished a clean install on my new Mac mini M4pro 24/512.
Everything went smoothly until I plugged in my OWC Thunderbay 4 enclosure and I received this message: "Cannot Use Thunderbolt accessory Connect to a Thunderbolt port on this Mac"

I tried different direct ports on the Mac, I don't think it's the cable because the Thunderbay works on my Intel Mac (2018), M1 laptop, M2 laptop.
The only difference between the machines is the M4 is running Sequoia while the others are on Sonoma and Ventura.

I see there may be a firmware update on the Thunderbay but it doesn't appear to relate to OS.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
I beg to differ with OWC: I just received my M4 MacMini yesterday and I cannot mount or see an external SanDisk G-Drive Pro, with two T3 ports. And, I've tried all of the ports on the MacMini.

I just posted this to the Apple Community:

Not exactly the same problem, but close: I have a T3 SanDisk G-Drive Pro that I have been using via its USB-C port with an older Mac. I just received my M4 MacMini and was looking forward to a performance boost by using the Thunderbolt 3 ports that are also featured on this external drive. The M4 MacMini does recognize the drive when I use the USB-C port, but does not recognize the drive when I try to use either one of the two T3 ports. The results I get are:

1) A window pops up stating that the external T3 Accessory can't be used, and that I should connect it to a Thunderbolt port on this Mac. (Almost like the MacMini doesn't know it has Thunderbolt 4 ports.)

2) It does not show up in Disk Utilities at all, when connect to the T3 ports on the external hard drive.



A final note: I also purchased an OWC NVME external T4 drive (Envoy Sidecar), that is recognized by the MacMini, but, it shows up in Disk Utilities as a USB device. I don't know if that means anything, but, there it is.



697a0a5b-abab-4b76-aede-e7741d688a58
 
FreakinEurekan said:
Change the cable.
Click to expand...
I've been a Mac/Windows user since 1984 - I've tried all of the obvious things. Thanks anyway. I'm seeing a quickly rising issue with the new M4 MacMini and T3 devices on several forums, I think this there is an actual issue. I'm contacting  directly later this morning.
 
Furthermore:
1) System Info indicates 3 40 Gb/s Busses on receptacles 1,2 and 4.
2) I plug in my OWC Envoy on every port of the M4 MacMini, one at a time, obviously, "No device connected", comes up on all of them respectively.
3) The same OWC device does show up on the respective USB 3.1 busses.

I'm using the supplied cable for the first tests, and an  USBC-USBC cable as a secondary test.
 
I've tried all of the obvious things
Click to expand...
🙄 Try some less than obvious things.

MrPeabodys said:
I'm using the supplied cable for the first tests, and an  USBC-USBC cable as a secondary test.
Click to expand...
If it's a TB3 device, a USB-C cable ain't gonna work. Change the cable out for another THUNDERBOLT cable. Thunderbolt cables will have a lightning bolt with arrowhead on the plug.
 
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