Thunderbolt 5 not working in Boot Camp

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Thunderbolt 5 not working in Boot Camp

I've been struggling so hard to get my new Thunderbolt 5 enclosure working in Boot Camp. I’m using an ACASIS TB501 Pro with an SN850X 8TB SSD, and I’ve literally tried every possible fix I could find — resetting SMC, reinstalling Boot Camp and Windows multiple times, installing various Thunderbolt drivers from other manufacturers… you name it. Still, no luck.

Today, I came across the OWC Express 1M2 80G product page, and I noticed it says “Thunderbolt 3 is only compatible with macOS.” That caught my attention, so I reached out to their customer support team to ask why. They explained it’s because of the chipset used — the JHL9480.

After a bit of research, I found out that the exact same chipset is used in my TB501 Pro. And that’s when it all started to make sense — and when my rocky journey kinda ended.

It’s honestly strange that it works flawlessly on macOS but not on Windows. I’m sure Apple is more than capable of providing a proper driver to make these work under Windows, but it seems they’ve decided to quietly leave these older, yet still beautiful, Intel-based Macs behind.

Real shame. :(

I just hope this post can help others who are still going through the same pain, not knowing what’s causing the issue.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 26.1

Posted on Nov 10, 2025 10:13 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 15, 2025 3:45 PM in response to 11KSM30

Although I've not heard of a "Thunderbolt 5", it stands to reason that the device in question will operate on an older version of the protocol at the latter's max speed. If you have not done so already, please confirm that your external device is up-to-date with its own software, firmware, et al. This may correct problems with connectivity and/or reliability of the device regardless of platform.

Failing that, make sure your Mac is running the latest macOS that it can run, as upgrading the OS may also upgrade the firmware of the system's independent Thunderbolt controller; this should increase the reliability of the system with the device connected, and may also improve the delivery of power to the device.

Once hardware issues are ruled out, the next step in Windows is to confirm that Boot Camp has installed the system driver for the Thunderbolt controller. Check Device Manager under "System devices" or "Storage controllers". If you see a caution triangle there or elsewhere, the Thunderbolt driver did not install or start properly and should be reinstalled ASAP.

Try reconnecting the device after troubleshooting. If it fails to show, it may be that Windows does not have a driver in and of itself. You'd need to contact OWC for help.

Good luck,

--Nate

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