WD15 Docking Station Firmware

what systems are being used with the docks? Normally when deploying the WD15s, you need to update all the drivers including the BIOS, which is probably causing your issue.  They also need to be installed in the correct format to have all the ports working properly.  Normally Dell Command Update is the quickest way to do it automatically in the correct format, then you'd install the dock firmware manually.  After updating the drivers and BIOS, go to the BIOS event log and clear the log to see if the error still shows up or not after a hard shut down.  

https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/04/sln301970/driver-installation-guide-for-dell-docking-station-wd15?lang=en

Most systems are 7480's or 7280's, have a few other supported models but I'm not touching them yet. The bios is updated ahead of time on all the machines already.  I'm runnng the latest firmware update and following the guide you linked to I'm just doing it silently., After it says succesfully updates and reboots is when I get the message about multiple docking stations.

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@Kevinssss wrote:

Most systems are 7480's or 7280's, have a few other supported models but I'm not touching them yet. The bios is updated ahead of time on all the machines already.  I'm runnng the latest firmware update and following the guide you linked to I'm just doing it silently., After it says succesfully updates and reboots is when I get the message about multiple docking stations.

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@Kevinssss thats quite strange as normally a firmware or BIOS update would resolve this sort of error message rather than create it.

There are potentially two issues here that could be causing this - 

1. The system thinks another device is connected to the laptop at the same time as the WD15 -do you have any other device at all connected to the system apart from the WD15?

2. The firmware update in the docking station is changing some internal code related to the dock making it look like a different dock to the system. This though shouldn't pose a problem as theoretically, you can connect multiple docks to the system, just not at the same time.

When do you receive the error message, is it every time the laptop is powered on, every time it's connected to the dock or once you have updated the firmware for the dock?

Does the error message disappear if you then restart the system?

Alan

So far I've gotten this about 3 times in the first 30 times I tried to do this.  In one case the laptop was only plugged into the dock and the dock only had power and network connected, not even monitors.  The others had monitors and one had a usb printer attached but not on.  The message only appears once and hitting F1 to clear to it lets the machines work as normal.

My guess was something along the lines of what you said in 2, something in the firmware making the dock look different to the laptop while it's rebooting.  I know the directions said to disconnect the dock from power and the laptop and reconnect them and that might prevent this message but thats just not feasible for us.  If that's really the cause I'll just have to document it for the helpdesk

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@Kevinssss wrote:

So far I've gotten this about 3 times in the first 30 times I tried to do this.  In one case the laptop was only plugged into the dock and the dock only had power and network connected, not even monitors.  The others had monitors and one had a usb printer attached but not on.  The message only appears once and hitting F1 to clear to it lets the machines work as normal.

 

My guess was something along the lines of what you said in 2, something in the firmware making the dock look different to the laptop while it's rebooting.  I know the directions said to disconnect the dock from power and the laptop and reconnect them and that might prevent this message but thats just not feasible for us.  If that's really the cause I'll just have to document it for the helpdesk

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Statement 2 pretty much confirms your issue. The instructions advise of the steps to be taken for the reason that you are encountering. If you can advise your helpdesk of this issue and the docks work without issue after this I wouldn't think it would cause too many problems for your rollout.

Alan

I am experiencing an identical issue as OP, but I disconnected my dock from the laptop and power after installing firmware updates. I still got the message about multiple simultaneous docking stations, even though only one was connected.

@White_Ninja can you confirm it's a precision 7530 you are using with a WD19DC dock?

Are you getting the exact same error message about the system being used with multiple docks?

Have you updated the docking station firmware recently?

Does that precision get used with other docking stations or is it just the WD19DC?

Are you running the latest BIOS on the Precision?

Alan

Hi i can confirm its the Precision Workstation 7530 and WD19DC

Command Update 3.0 has no updates to install. Latest Bios is installed.

The 7530 was also connected to a TB18DC before

I havent found a firmware for the WD19DC dock so far.

Since i change to Auto mode in Bios the message now is:

Multiple docking stations are not simoultaniously supported. disconnect additional docking stations. your dock connection has limitations......

We are having the same issue every time we boot the laptop.

its a 7530 and wd19dc combo... any advise?

@White_Ninja having also looked, I can confirm that there is no firmware update available for the WD19DC docking station. With previous docks, the firmware update has resolved the issue with the error message.

a) Has this error message only appeared since updating to the latest BIOS?
b) Was the docking station connected when you updated the BIOS?
c) Do you get the error message every time you power on the system?
d) Is the docking station connected or disconnected when you get this error message?
e) Is the ac adaptor connected when you receive this error message?

Alan

@White_Ninja having also looked, I can confirm that there is no firmware update available for the WD19DC docking station. With previous docks, the firmware update has resolved the issue with the error message.

a) Has this error message only appeared since updating to the latest BIOS?

       - No it happend before, so i decided to update bios

b) Was the docking station connected when you updated the BIOS?

       - Yes it was

c) Do you get the error message every time you power on the system?

      - Yes every time we power on the system

d) Is the docking station connected or disconnected when you get this error message?

      - yes we also tried this during the message on the screen. On first boot only one led of the thunderbolt (usb-           c) connector was glowing. Now both are

e) Is the ac adaptor connected when you receive this error message?

      - Only the AC adapter coming with the dock is connected. No ac is connected to the laptop

Alan

@White_Ninja thanks for getting back to me and confirming the solution. 

Should the message return please get back in touch and I can advise further.

Alan