I have a mid-2012 iMac and just bought a new external SSD which works fine from the USB ports but using a Thunderbolt to USB-C adapter and a male/male thunderbolt cable it won't power up. I need microsoft word on my laptop. Do those Thunderbolt ports have any power? Are they somehow turned off and can be turned back on? I see the ports in my hardware configuration but they show nothing connected. The whole point of buying this hard drive was to use the Thunderbolt port because two of my USB2 ports aren't working properly.
USB and Thunderbolt (not to be confused with Lightning) are both protocols for transferring data and video. They have traditionally used different types of ports and cables; however, with the advent of USB-C, Thunderbolt and USB cables can utilize the same 24-pin oval port. The latest USB protocol, USB 4, is only available via USB-C.
- Any USB-C device (like a Google Pixel) plugged into a Thunderbolt 3 port will function normally. For example, a USB 3.0 external hard drive also works with a USB 2.0 port, and vice versa.
- Port selection includes: two Thunderbolt 3 ports (one from the laptop, and one for an external connection), and a single DisplayPort 1.2 port. That's ideal for a single 4K display, but awkward.
I also have a 2014 Mac Mini and tried it there too with no luck.
USB and Thunderbolt (not to be confused with Lightning) are both protocols for transferring data and video. They have traditionally used different types of ports and cables; however, with the advent of USB-C, Thunderbolt and USB cables can utilize the same 24-pin oval port. The latest USB protocol, USB 4, is only available via USB-C.
- Any USB-C device (like a Google Pixel) plugged into a Thunderbolt 3 port will function normally. For example, a USB 3.0 external hard drive also works with a USB 2.0 port, and vice versa.
- Port selection includes: two Thunderbolt 3 ports (one from the laptop, and one for an external connection), and a single DisplayPort 1.2 port. That's ideal for a single 4K display, but awkward.
I also have a 2014 Mac Mini and tried it there too with no luck.
Thanks for any help with this.
Thunderbolt External Hard Drive
iMac Line (2012 and Later)
Thunderbolt 3 Hard Drive Mac
Posted on Jul 13, 2019 8:23 PM
