Aleinware 17 R5 & Thunderbolt display

Thunderbolt security is not allowing the device on.

Even when its on there are no Drivers for windows for this device.

This is not supported and not working.

Apple has abandoned thunderbolt 2 and displays in 2016 and no longer makes ANY monitors.

@DatTubaMan  take a look at this thread.  It pertains to a different system, but a user found a BIOS setting that fixed the problem, so if your system has the same BIOS option, you might have similar success.

@speedstepno drivers are required for TB3 to TB2 adapters or for displays.  The fact that the adapter and display are a few years old isn't by itself relevant.  And writing all of your posts in enormous text doesn't change the quality of the information you're providing.

There is no such thing as a USB-C display.  The post you reference specifically says "Apple Thunderbolt Display"

There are no USB-C settings for Thunderbolt.  Thunderbolt requires controller.  This is not something that can be added later.  Its either there or not.

There is in fact no such thing as a "USB-C  display"  BIOS security protection with Thunderbolt™ 3 that prevents unauthorized devices from connecting separating display tunneling specifically. Each device has an ID that is in the hardware and bios must allow it or it does not work at all.

Apple abandoned thunderbolt displays in 2016 and no longer supports or makes them.

@speedstep  first of all, USB-C displays absolutely exist.  Dell even makes them, like the U2719DC, and USB-C displays can be used without having to go through any Thunderbolt security measures because they're not Thunderbolt devices.  The Thunderbolt security check exists because Thunderbolt grants access to PCIe, which allows DMA.  But regular USB-C devices can only access USB and DisplayPort and therefore don't have to go through the security measures even when Thunderbolt port security is enabled.  I can connect a USB-C display to my Thunderbolt system and it will work even though I don't have any devices in my approved Thunderbolt devices list.

Second, nobody else here was talking about USB-C displays.  We're talking about the Apple Thunderbolt Display, since that's what the OP is trying to get working.  Third, while it's true that Thunderbolt controllers can't be added later, the Alienware 17 R5 already has a Thunderbolt controller.  So does the Apple Thunderbolt display.  Once again, you've made a completely irrelevant post, and once again using enormous text and even extra colors this time doesn't change that.  The thread I linked for the OP above already shows that someone else has gotten the Apple Thunderbolt Display working through the appropriate adapter at least with the XPS 15 after making a BIOS setting change -- specifically this post in that thread if you're having trouble scrolling down.

The fact that Apple no longer makes or supports Thunderbolt displays is completely irrelevant.  Lots of things that are no longer made or supported by the manufacturer can still be used!

USB-C displays absolutely exist.

No they don't

Thunderbolt 3 uses USB-C physical connector.

Thunderbolt displays exist there is no USB-C display standard.

If there was you would not ever need thunderbolt.

Alt Mode(s) are optional capabilities wit USB-C connector or port that allow technologies, like DisplayPort via Thunderbolt 3.  If thunderbolt is not present then Alt mode is not present.

Some Systems with USB Type-C Port Lack a Thunderbolt 3 Controller

Intel HD Graphics 620 with Displayport over USB Type-C require thunderbolt 3 controller.

Thunderbolt 1 and 2 use the same connector as Mini DisplayPort (MDP), whereas Thunderbolt 3 re-uses the USB-C connector from USB. This is where people get confused. Thunderbolt combines PCI-E and Display Port into two serial signals, and can additionally provide 45W of DC power all in one cable.  Thunderbolt controllers multiplex one or more individual data lanes from connected PCIe and DisplayPort devices for transmission
via two duplex Thunderbolt lanes, then de-multiplex them for use by PCIe and DisplayPort devices on the other end.

Ports that DO NOT have the Lightning bolt do not have thunderbolt and therefore DO NOT have display port capability.

Thunderbolt 2

Thunderbolt 3 CONTROLLER REQUIRED FOR DISPLAY PORT

@speedstep  are you kidding me!?!?  I just gave you a model of a USB-C display made by Dell.  It does NOT use Thunderbolt.  Or if you you want, go ahead and Google "USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode".  That is an entire standard that defines how to send DisplayPort over a regular USB-C connection -- not Thunderbolt -- specifically to support USB-C displays.  There are also multiple Dell laptops that have USB-C ports that don't support Thunderbolt but still support video output through that standard.  The Dell WD15 and WD19 docks are non-Thunderbolt docks that work with non-Thunderbolt laptops and still support displays, again by using DisplayPort Alt Mode.  DisplayPort Alt Mode does not require Thunderbolt 3 support.  DisplayPort Alt Mode support is mandatory for any Thunderbolt 3 devices, whereas it's only optional for USB-C devices, but it is available for USB-C devices.

Thunderbolt exists because it can expose PCIe to external peripherals, and it can also carry more display bandwidth than regular USB-C.  The Apple Thunderbolt display uses Thunderbolt because when it was released in the Thunderbolt 2 era, there was no USB-C connector.  As a result, Thunderbolt was the only way to carry both display traffic and USB traffic for the display's built-in webcam and USB ports over a single cable.  And these days, Thunderbolt 3 displays like the LG SuperFine still exist because their high resolution requires more bandwidth than can be provided over regular USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode.

I wrote a long post about the various operating modes of USB-C and Thunderbolt, including their impact on display setups, in this thread.  You need to educate yourself before presuming to educate others.  Putting an incorrect claim like "No they don't" in red text doesn't make it correct.

@speedstep  again that is not correct.  Port security applies only when attaching actual Thunderbolt peripherals.  If I connect a regular USB-C device, then port security does not apply.  The device will immediately start working even if my laptop's port is capable of Thunderbolt 3 and even if Thunderbolt port security is enabled.  Again, I'm speaking from real world experience here.  I have a portable USB-C display (the ASUS MB16AC), and I can connect it to my XPS 13 9350 that has Thunderbolt 3, and it will work immediately, even though I have no devices in my Thunderbolt approved devices list.  That's because that display is not a Thunderbolt device and because DisplayPort can work over regular USB-C.  In fact, if you actually look at the Thunderbolt port security options in the BIOS, one option is "USB & DisplayPort", which tells the system to disable Thunderbolt entirely and only use that port as a standard USB-C port -- and as the option name implies, a standard USB-C port can carry DisplayPort.

@speedstep  yes the Alt Modes are optional and not required -- but they do exist.  So it's incorrect to claim that USB-C displays don't exist and that Thunderbolt is required for DisplayPort output, which is what you said earlier.  But it looks like you're not the type of person who can admit when he's wrong, and maybe go back and edit earlier posts to remove incorrect statements.

Alternate Modes are optional; USB-C VERSION 3.1 features and devices are not required to support any specific Alternate Mode.

Alienware-17-R5 On the left side are USB Type-C and 3.1 Type-A ports and separate headphone and microphone jacks. The right side features only a single USB 3.0 port. Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) is listed in the specs but I do not know about the bios.

https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/alienware-17-r5_users-guide_en-us.pdf

USB-C Port does not have the usb-c 3.1 ALT MODE display port logo or power delivery logo.  Power actually goes via the rear connector 6.

There is absolutely no reason for alt mode because the 17R has

PORTS ON BACK

The other issue that thunderbolt 3 introduces is port security.

Alternate and Power Delivery Logos

If the LOGO is not there Alternate mode is not there.

Neither Displays nor anything else will connect or enumerate if not pre authorized by the os.  Alternate Modes are optional; USB-C features and devices are not required to support any specific Alternate Mode.

USB-C 3.0 specifically does not have ANY display port modes.

USB-C 3.1   DisplayPort, Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL), HDMI and Thunderbolt (20 Gbit/s, or 40 Gbit/s with cable length up to 0.5 m)

Alternate Mode USB-C ports can be interconnected with standard passive full-featured USB Type-C cables.

USB 3.1 Type-C adapter cable (plug) or adapter (socket)

These cables/adapters contain a valid DisplayPort, HDMI, or MHL plug/socket marked with the logo of the required Alternate Mode, and a USB-C plug with a "trident" SuperSpeed 10 Gbit/s logo on the other end.

• Android from version 6 onwards works with USB 3.1 and USB-C.
• Chrome OS starting with the Chromebook Pixel 2015, supports USB 3.1, USB-C, alternate modes, power delivery, and USB Dual-Role support.
• APPLE IOS from 12.1 (iPad Pro 3rd generation only) onwards works with USB-C 3.1
• (macOS Yosemite version 10.10.2), starting with the Macbook pro early 2015, supports USB 3.1, USB-C, alternate modes, and power delivery.
• Windows 8.1 added USB-C and billboard support in an update.
• Win10 supports USB 3.1, USB-C, alternate modes, billboard device class, power delivery and USB Dual-Role.

@speedstep  I just saw your edits.  Now you're just copy/pasting from Wikipedia, specifically this article, without even indicating that.  Is plagiarizing from other sites the only type of expertise you offer here?

"So it's incorrect to claim that USB-C displays don't exist and that Thunderbolt is required for DisplayPort output"

USB-C is a connector not a standard version.

USB C version 3.1 is REQUIRED for ALT mode and the display port Logo is also required if it supports that.

When you add in

Intel UHD Graphics 630
•AMD Radeon RX570
•NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1060
•NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1070
•NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1080

there is nothing in the spec that says a display port is attached to either GPU via Alt mode.

Alternate and Power Delivery Logos

@speedstep  you're the one getting confused here.  I have non-Thunderbolt devices that still support DisplayPort Alt Mode.  A non-Thunderbolt USB-C port can carry up to 4 lanes of DisplayPort traffic.  A Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C port when connected to a Thunderbolt device can carry up to 8 lanes of DisplayPort traffic, if the source device's Thunderbolt chip has that many lanes wired from the GPU.  If you check the specs of various Dell Latitude laptops, you will see that the USB-C port specs for some of them say "supports DisplayPort and Power Delivery", even though those systems do NOT offer Thunderbolt.  Some other systems have that type of USB-C port as standard and can optionally be ordered with Thunderbolt, like the Latitude 7490.  And then there are Android USB-C smartphones that can be connected to displays via USB-C.  They don't include Thunderbolt controllers, and neither do the USB-C displays they're connecting to.  You're the one who's got this wrong, and that's provable by real-world usage.  Perhaps you should go spend some time doing research rather than continuing to dig in on your incorrect claims.