Windows 7 Device Manager Shows Yellow Bang with NVIDIA RTX GPUs

Why Does a Yellow Bang (Yellow Exclamation Mark) Appear in the Windows 7 Device Manager When Using an NVIDIA RTX GPU? 

The yellow bang in the Windows 7 Device Manager is an indication that a device is not working properly. In the case of using an NVIDIA RTX GPU in a Windows 7 system, the yellow bang is caused by the USB-C port on the NVIDIA GPU.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

Windows 7 does not support the eXtensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI), which is required for proper operation of the USB-C port. Similarly, the USB-C Port Policy Controller (PPC) driver is not supported on Windows 7. Thus, the yellow bang provides an alert that not all USB-C capabilities are accessible.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT?

The lack of xHCI and USB-C PPC drivers support means that the USB-C port is not able to deliver the necessary power and data signals required to run head mounted displays (HMDs) for virtual reality (VR) applications. However, the display signals coming out of the USB-C port are not affected. Despite the yellow bang alert, the USB-C port can still be used to drive a display.