MX-19.4 Thunderbolt Drive not recognized [Solved]

[woodyb12]

I can even go to Amazon and get "invoices" for products I bought in 2016! Ha! Isn't that something?? I love Amazon as much as I love the MX community! You guys (and I'm sure there are Gals too!) are the best Linux people I've ever met! I mean that too! I have been using Linux since around 1986 (off and on); and believe me when I tell you; the linux community then was very harsh with "newbies!"

[CharlesV]

Ya, amazon is awesome. I really hope the DOJ and others dont mess it up ;-/

And I agree with your take on the MX forum too. I started playing with linux around 1992 ish, and as I attempted to use it a few years later I was pretty turned off by the harsh attitudes and various problem peeps in forums. I pretty much stopped using forums in 2010, just gave up on the lack of good people and bad advise. Honestly, this forum, the Mint forum and the xfce forum are all I am ever really on - everything else is a search and spot check. (and I pretty much never go into windows forums - even though support many windows users.)

[CharlesV]

A few more thoughts on this ...

Your bios is quite old and you may want to read through some release notes or just head for a newer version. (10/26/23 was their last update for your mobo. )
https://pg.asrock.com/mb/AMD/X570%20Pha ... x.asp#BIOS

You also may want to do some reading here:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.15/a ... rbolt.html

And last, you are on a 5.10 kernel, and while everything I can find says it supports Thunderbolt... you may just want to try a newer kernel. (Also .. it might be smart to head for a mx21 or mx23 load too. ) And, personally... I would add ahs and get the very latest linux firmware on board too.

[woodyb12]

I updated my BIOS; That's why (I think) the TB-3 Dock worked at all after I did that. I did read the article you referenced above; didn't have much information useful to me. And the last thing:
I have no clue how to upgrade to MX-23 and keep all of my files, programs, and settings. So! Unless you want to babysit me through that stuff; Not Happening!

[CharlesV]

There are some methods to reduce the pain, but it will some work to do it and no guarantee it will help this particular issue either. ( Might be worth building a stick of mx23 and trying it though.)

[woodyb12]

I have many versions of MX-Linux! I plan on trying several different versions of different Distributions. But I tend to prefer Debian based systems. But, I don't want to have to give up everything I've worked hard to achieve with this version of MX! All the programs I've installed to accomplish the things "I" want to do. I would almost rather eat sh!t--I mean "straight out O the Toilet!"
I will just try a few Distros and if I find one that works well with this Dock; I will use that on a thumb drive and move my files around that way!
So! I guess I will close this thread and mark it as "solved!" Thanks for your help @CharlesV!