Technical white paper | HP USB Type-C™
Scenario
Message
Cause
Using a small adapter
Title: USB Type-C™ Connector
Text: “The attached power source cannot fully
power the system but can supplement battery
power. For full performance, use a higher
capacity power source.”
The use of an adapter that is too small to power
the system. Adapters that are too small will only
be used to supplement the battery and extend
battery life.
Port over current
situation
Title: USB Type-C™ connector
Text: “The connected device exceeded the
power limit of the USB-C™ port.”
The connected device pulls too much current from
the port causing the Power Delivery controller
to issue an over current error to the Embedded
Controller (EC).
Port over voltage
situation
Title: USB Type-C™ connector
Text: “The USB-C™ port is not working.
The connected device caused a power surge.
Please disconnect.”
If the power source provides high voltage to the
USB-C™ port, the PD controller will issue an
“over voltage failure” message which is shown
in the message section.
Unsupported expansion
module
Title: USB Type-C™ connector
Text: “The system does not support one of the
connected expansion modules.”
When a non-genuine HP expansion module
is detected in the system, the “Unsupported
expansion module” message will display.
Too many expansion
modules
Title: USB Type-C™ connector
Text: “The system configuration exceeds the
number of supported expansion modules.”
When the number of expansion modules exceeds
the acceptable amount of system connections,
the SIO/BIOS will issue the “Too many expansion
modules” message.
Thunderbolt module is
not at the top of the stack
Title: USB Type-C™ connector
Text: “The Thunderbolt™ module must be
attached directly below the system module.”
If more than one Thunderbolt expansion module
is in the module stack, the “Thunderbolt module is
not at the top of the stack” message will display;
only one module is permitted, and it should be at
the top of the stack.
Frequently asked questions
What is USB Type-C™?
USB Type-C™ is a smaller, reversible USB connector with 4x high speed lanes (24 pin). USB Type-C™ can deliver
data (including Thunderbolt™ 3), audio, and video, as well as provide charging power to many devices (USB Power
Delivery).
Is USB Type-C™ backwards compatible?
Yes, USB Type-C™ is backwards compatible. You can plug any USB 3.0 device into a USB Type-C™ port using a USB
Type-C™ (male) to Type-A (female) adapter.
What is USB Type-C™ power delivery?
USB Type-C™ power delivery is bi-directional, so a device can either send or receive power. This power can be
transferred at the same time the device is transmitting data across the connection.
Does USB Type-C™ support video modes (alternate modes)?
USB Type-C™ ports support adapters that can output different types of video, such as HDMI, VGA, and DisplayPort™,
all from one USB Type-C™ port on a computer or device.
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© Copyright 2016 HP Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP
products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed
as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
USB Type-C™ and USB-C™ are trademarks of USB Implementers Forum. Thunderbolt and vPro are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other
countries. DisplayPort™ and the DisplayPort™ logo are trademarks owned by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA®) in the U.S. and other
countries.
4AA6-7466EEW, September 2016
