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Precision 3660 Thunderbolt 4
I recently purchased 2 Precision 3660 workstations, which according to the spec sheet (Page 7 of https://www.delltechnologies.com/asset/en-us/products/workstations/technical-support/precision-3660-spec-sheet.pdf ) is compatible with a thunderbolt 4 add-in card.
I bought a Asus thunderbolt 4 card, only to learn it was proprietary to Asus motherboards.
Does anyone know if this card will work for the 3660? https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/thunderbolt-4-pcie-card-full-height-customer-kit-for-tower/apd/540-bdcb/networking#compatibility_section
Boucing Czech
3 Posts
0
July 28th, 2022 12:00
Is there any Thunderbolt 4 card available for Precision 3660 at all? Does it require cabling or BIOS modification?
JW-VHACLE
6 Posts
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August 1st, 2022 11:00
The one I picked up that wasn't compatible (because of a proprietary header connector) also required a 6-pin power connection off the PSU.
Boucing Czech
3 Posts
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August 4th, 2022 20:00
I tried to buy a Dell Thunderbolt 4 card from Dell but was told it was not available. They offered Thunderbolt 3 but I doubt that it was tested for compatibility. Previous generations of the 3600 series had a Thunderbolt option entry in the BIOS and a Thunderbolt driver but 3660 does not have that. It appears that Dell overpromised and underdelivered in this case.
JW-VHACLE
6 Posts
1
August 16th, 2022 05:00
The motherboard does have a 10-pin thunderbolt header (photo below).
Dell doesn't offer any manuals or documentation on ANY of their thunderbolt add-in cards online and support cannot seem to verify if the cards they carry will work.
JW-VHACLE
6 Posts
1
August 23rd, 2022 08:00
Still no update from Dell support - despite sending a DM to their support team.
Page 67 of the service manual (https://dl.dell.com/content/manual59803069-precision-3660-tower-service-manual.pdf?language=en-us&ps=true) shows a diagram of the motherboard... and then gives no key to reference the numbered components on the board on the page prior, after, or the same page.
Item #22 in the below screenshot is labeled TBT on the board itself:
RichieBD
14 Posts
0
August 27th, 2022 11:00
Life on the bleeding edge...
Sorry, I don't have any add'l info related, but share your concern.
I did find This webpage from www.mattmillman.com to be helpful in understanding the complexity in general of adding thunderbolt when it's not part of the system you take out-of-the-box.
Thank you for posting & I will be watching for updates/solutions.
RichieBD
14 Posts
0
August 27th, 2022 12:00
Also - I don't think any Thunderbolt 3 or 4 will work until/if Dell updates BIOS to provide support.
See https://www.dell.com/community/Precision-Fixed-Workstations/Thunderbolt-3-PCIe-card-for-Precision-3640-tower/td-p/7753427
Unless it's hidden somewhere, I don't see support in the latest BIOS release for 3660 for any type of Thunderbolt.
The 3660 BIOS is more than BIOS, kind of integrated miniOS/GUI shell for all things pre-boot. Nearly impossible to use without a mouse (and my everyday mouse, a wired USB Kensington Pro-fit full -size is impossible to use with the BIOS GUI - tiny movement of mouse moves pointer across the screen - I have to use a temporary mouse ....)
toclin
1 Message
0
September 25th, 2022 10:00
Also a very strange and misleading marketing information from Dell Corp.: They mention a thunderbolt card to order with the Precision 3460 configuration but will probably send a D-SUB 9 pin card (link)
Precsision 3460ff:
Precision 3660:
Boucing Czech
3 Posts
0
October 22nd, 2022 22:00
Two more updates:
1) Compatible TB4 controller driver for Precision 3660 Intel Thunderbolt Controller Application | Driver Details | Dell US
2) A card to ship in Dec. 2022 Thunderbolt 4 PCIe card - Full Height Customer Kit for Tower | Dell USA that does not specifically list Precision 3660 as compatible
PittCS
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4 Posts
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April 25th, 2023 15:00
Here is the card for the Precision 3660:
https://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/pfydresults/274436?page=3&categoryId=2999
David_Gold
1 Message
0
May 28th, 2023 16:00
This is what the Dell Thunderbolt 4 card looks like installed in a Precidion 3660… the cable that comes with the card has 3 connectors labeled: Int USB, TBT and Sideband.
xiaoyao998
3 Posts
0
October 1st, 2023 23:14
They have the JHL8540 chip TB4 card could support T3650,T3660 or 7090MT with different cable. I find in China xianyu market