Bug 505354

Summary:	Discover does not properly handle interactive firmware updates via fwupd (e.g. Dell WD19 dock)
Product:	[Applications] Discover	Reporter:	David <kitt997>
Component:	fwupd Backend	Assignee:	Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status:	CONFIRMED ---
Severity:	normal	CC:	aleixpol, kdedev, nate, sharma.abhijeet2096
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	6.3.5
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Fedora RPMs
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description David 2025-06-08 20:45:56 UTC

When updating firmware for complex USB/Thunderbolt devices (such as Dell WD19DCS docking stations) using Discover, the update process fails with a generic error message (e.g. "erase failed"). Discover does not guide the user through the necessary steps to complete the update, such as confirming component upgrades, disconnecting/reconnecting the device, or waiting for the dock to reboot.

Using fwupdtool or fwupdmgr in the terminal works flawlessly and shows a full sequence of updates with clear prompts and instructions, including which components are being updated and what physical actions (like unplugging the dock) are required.

Expected behavior:

Discover should provide step-by-step instructions if the firmware update process requires user interaction.

It should display informative error messages when something goes wrong.

Optionally, it could delegate such complex updates to a CLI tool or offer a “launch in terminal” button for advanced users.

---SYSTEM INFO---
Operating System: Fedora Linux 42
KDE Plasma Version: 6.3.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.14.0
Qt Version: 6.9.0
Kernel Version: 6.14.9-300.fc42.x86_64 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 20 × AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 w/ Radeon 880M
Memory: 27,2 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon Graphics
Manufacturer: LENOVO
Product Name: 83HN
System Version: Yoga Pro 7 14ASP9

This issue can lead to confusion and potentially missed updates for users who rely solely on Discover.