Some Notes on the Machines

Here’s the page:

www.lenovo.com/us/en/software/vantage

This:

https://www.winzipsystemtools.com/driver-updater.html

works very well indeed. It knows about drivers which aren’t covered by any of the several other good ones I keep up with. One driver install at a time is free of charge, $30 per machine for automatic.

Here they are.

Here is the standard procedure, as given just now by an HP tech, to get HP Thunderbolt docking stations to work, when they don’t. The report is that these things are emphatically not plug-and-play, each of these steps has to be done in order.

The order below is consistent for all HP Thunderbolt-equipped laptops and HP Thunderbolt docking stations. The very specifics are correct for just one particular model of each (ia HP Zbook 17 G4 on an HP Thunderbolt Dock G2), as of right now, 2020-02-04.

1. Update the BIOS.

2. Set Thunderbolt to no security, in the BIOS.

We need to change thunderbolt security level to no security: Boot into the BIOS via F10, go to Port options, and if it’s set to user authentication or secure connect, change the dropdown to no security. If the option of no security is not available, disable the setting that reads ‘require thunderbolt password to change thunderbolt security’. Once the change has been identified and made, save and exit.

3. Install Intel Thunderbolt 3 Secure connect. Reboot.

ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp98501-99000/sp98877.exe

4. Install or update HP Thunderbolt Dock G2 Firmware. Reboot.

ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp98501-99000/sp98906.exe

5. Install or update Intel Thunderbolt 3 FW for HP Zbook 17 G4. Reboot.

ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp98001-98500/sp98136.exe

A Lenovo-supplied method to update drivers, BIOS, and firmware in Windows.

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/tvsu-update

When you can, it’s best to go to the hardware manufacturer’s web site and download the latest for whatever you have. But sometimes you’re dealing with products whose manufacturers are unhelpful. A very good resource is here:

https://pcilookup.com/

In the properties of a device in Windows, you can pull a VEN (Vendor) and DEV (Device) number, put it into the above, and hopefully find what you’re looking for.

This works very well:

https://www.wagnardsoft.com/

On some HP desktop hardware, this is the only way to get drivers and BIOS:

http://ftp.hp.com/pub/caps-softpaq/cmit/HP_SDM.html

If you see these in event logs, you are seeing the result of a mismatch between the running drivers in your machine and something in Microsoft’s cloud-based driver database. Do this:

1. Control Panel
2. search for Device Installation
3. Change device installation settings
4. No, let me choose what to do
5. Never install driver software from Windows Update.
6. uncheck Automatically get the device app and info provided by your device manufacturer

A new tool, very good:

http://www.drivethelife.com/

Additionals, not tested yet:

http://drivermax.en.lo4d.com/

http://driver-genius-professional.en.lo4d.com/

http://driver-fusion.en.lo4d.com/