how do I connect an Apple Thunderbolt display to a PC?
Solution 1:
If the Wikipedia article is to be believed (and I do believe it is correct based on what Thunderbolt is), then your configuration will not work.
Compatibility
Apple Thunderbolt Displays, like the video input on Thunderbolt iMacs, drop compatibility with all previous standards, including VGA, DVI, and DisplayPort.3 As such, they cannot be connected to computers lacking a Thunderbolt port, including pre-2011 Macs and the vast majority of PCs.
Thunderbolt is not the same as Display Port. Therefore you can only connect thunderbolt equipped Mac's (or some PC's with thunderbolt hardware and appropriate drivers) to the Thunderbolt display.
From the Apple Mini DisplayPort FAQ
- My computer has the same connector but the symbol is different, what does that mean?
Some Apple computers have a Thunderbolt port instead of a Mini DisplayPort. Computers with a Thunderbolt port will have the following symbol next to a port although the port physically appears the same as a Mini DisplayPort:
Thunderbolt ports:
Are compatible with all of the Mini DisplayPort adapters referenced below in question 5 and with Apple Mini DisplayPort equipped displays. Support adapters like Apple's Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter and Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter which are not otherwise compatible with Mini DisplayPorts. See Thunderbolt ports and displays: Frequently asked questions (FAQ) for more information on Thunderbolt.
So with your adaptor, you can drive a DisplayPort based monitor to your PC, but not a thunderbolt display as it lacks support for DisplayPort. That's why it didn't turn on and work.
Some Googling and I haven't yet been able to find a USB based thunderbolt adaptor, it seems there is talk of such a device using USB 3.0 to Thunderbolt although at reduced speeds. There are a few thunderbolt PCIe cards available and some PC motherboards support thunderbolt.
Solution 2:
Because the Thunderbolt connection is designed not just as a display connection and also a data connection it is not possible to use only a display port connection to connect to a Thunderbolt display. Also, if I can recall, the DisplayPort connection that is built into the Thunderbolt display is designed as a output for daisy-chaining a display port monitor to your computer, and NOT as an input.
The reason why Thunderbolt displays require a Thunderbolt connection is because, as you mentioned, they have no power buttons and are turned on/activated by a signal from a computer telling them to turn on. In other words, unless you can get a motherboard or card in your computer that has a Thunderbolt connection and can send the right signals to your monitor, it is not possible to use a DisplayPort connection as an input into your Thunderbolt Display.
Solution 3:
Thunderbolt is not mac exclusive, so you can do that, if your laptop/pc has a thunderbolt port. Some people have done it.
BUT
You will need a windows driver for this monitor.
This driver can be obtained from Apple's Bootcamp software package (the one Apple provides so you can run Windows on a Mac natively. This package includes Thunderbolt Display driver among other things. But you might need a mac to download it.
Because currently, Boot camp 6 is available through "Apple Software update" windows tool only. And it won't run unless you have a real mac.