USB 3 Puzzle

ejmaztec

I decided to update my Windows 7 64bit system by installing a USB PCI express card. I got my hands on a USB3 caddy(complete with USB3 cable) and fitted a 320gb sata drive.

The external drive has no problem connecting to a USB2 socket and is detected straight away.

Plugging it into the USB3 card, it tries to install a driver, but fails. In device manager, I get a code 10 (won't start) on the USB mass storage device. The USBSTOR.SYS driver is the latest version.

At this stage, I don't know whether the caddy is defective, or I've missed something stupid, and as it's early days for my USB3 diversion, I've got no other USB3 gadgets to connect.

Any bright ideas out there?

ejmaztec

ejmaztec wrote: »

Any bright ideas out there?

As a matter of fact, there is one bright idea.

I intalled what were supposed to be the latest drivers, and didn't install the ones on the supplied disc. Everything worked ok after installing the original, so I won't be updating these drivers anytime soon.

ejmaztec

The only problem now is that, copying from the USB3 drive never gets completed, as the damn thing keeps disconnecting. I now understand that Windows 7 hasn't kept up with the technology, and Microsoft will apparently sort this out when W7 SP1 is released (possibly January 2011?).

No point wasting any more time on this until Microsoft gets its finger out, so it's back to esata until they do.:(

Overheal

can you link to these pieces of hardware you're talking about?

Windows 7 doesn't have a problem with USB 3; it's got to be something to do with the hardware in particular. My motherboard has a tacked-on USB 3 port and I can use 1.1 and 2.0 devices through it just fine.

ejmaztec

Overheal wrote: »

can you link to these pieces of hardware you're talking about?

Windows 7 doesn't have a problem with USB 3; it's got to be something to do with the hardware in particular. My motherboard has a tacked-on USB 3 port and I can use 1.1 and 2.0 devices through it just fine.

The caddy is a nameless item from Hong Kong, and the PCI Express card is this

http://www.silicon-power.com/product/pro_detail.php?main=19&sub=58&pro=142&sub_v=&currlang=utf8

Today, everything seems to be ok, and the only thing that I did was defrag the external drive, even though it wasn't that bad. I've been copying a few files to make certain that I can trust it. It took about 16 minutes to copy a 16gb image file, and didn't disconnect during this operation, or any others, but that's today.

Some "experts" maintain that W7 doesn't support USB 3 100%, and as a result of the differences of opinion, I don't know what to think now.

oisin

I'm using a similar setup with a usb3 pci card and docking station on windows7 and it's working flawlessly from the start.

Most if not all of these cards use the NEC USB 3 chips. Try Googling "NEC USB 3.0 Driver 1.0.20.1" and try those.

ejmaztec

oisin wrote: »

I'm using a similar setup with a usb3 pci card and docking station on windows7 and it's working flawlessly from the start.

Most if not all of these cards use the NEC USB 3 chips. Try Googling "NEC USB 3.0 Driver 1.0.20.1" and try those.

That's the one that I'm using.:D

Overheal

i havent honestly tried a 3.0 device so for all i know youre right. all i know is the 3.0 ports themselves dont screw up the operation of 2.0 devices. They're on the motherboard ASUS M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3 with the latest southbridge driver at install.

ejmaztec

Overheal wrote: »

i havent honestly tried a 3.0 device so for all i know youre right. all i know is the 3.0 ports themselves dont screw up the operation of 2.0 devices. They're on the motherboard ASUS M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3 with the latest southbridge driver at install.

I don't have any problems with USB 2 devices. I connect these to the USB 3 cable. Am I right in assuming that connecting a USB 2 cable to a USB 3 port causes damage?

jpl888

USB 3.0 receptacles are electrically compatible with USB 2.0 device plugs

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus

I take that to mean that plugging a USB 2.0 cable into a USB 3.0 device won't damage it. I think there would be a lot of angry users out there if it did, and I'm fairly sure they would've changed the connector to stop people frying things by accident if that were the case.

Then again you never know, some pretty dumb things get done in the name of standards sometimes!

ejmaztec

This USB 3.0 "hobby" is a pain in the arse at this stage.:mad:

If I decide to plug my external drive into the other socket on the PCIE card, the drive is detected and I'm told that it needs formatting.

I get the same message when I plug it into one of the two sockets on a newly acquired USB 3/ExpressCard adapter that I got for an HP laptop.

The drive is detected and fully readable when it's connected to the original USB 3.0 socket, and is also ok when connected to any USB 2.0 socket.

With USB 2.0, no matter which USB 2.0 socket was used, the system would automatically install the drivers if it was the first time a particular device was used with that socket. USB 3.0 doesn't seem to behave in the same way.

...and my latest Ebay purchase, a USB 3.00 cable, doesn't work whatever it's connected to.:( I had a cable problem with Esata, which was cured after trimming the plastic shielding with a Stanley blade, but I don't think that will work on the crap USB 3.0 cable.

jpl888

You're suffering from earlyadopteritis. Put everything in a box for 6 to 12 months, update service packs, drivers and what not and you may have more luck.

Did you try it from a live cd? It might tell us whether it's the hardware or a OS/driver issue.

ejmaztec

jpl888 wrote: »

You're suffering from earlyadopteritis. Put everything in a box for 6 to 12 months, update service packs, drivers and what not and you may have more luck.

Did you try it from a live cd? It might tell us whether it's the hardware or a OS/driver issue.

I'll try a live cd, then ring the Samaritans.:(

jpl888

You might need to postpone your suicidal feelings. I'd say the Samaritans are busy today what with the bankers (actually pronounced with a w), ECB and polticians

ejmaztec

They'd be ringing the Samaritans's office in Cloud Cuckoo Land, so I'd have no trouble ringing them here.

BostonB

Sounds like the drivers for the USB 3 card don't work. Return it.

Is this some unknown branded card?

ejmaztec

BostonB wrote: »

Sounds like the drivers for the USB 3 card don't work. Return it.

Is this some unknown branded card?

http://www.silicon-power.com/news/new_view.php?no=20100921002&start=2&currlang=utf8

I think the NEC drivers are questionable. The card works with the drivers provided, but doesn't work with the updated versions.

I'm contacting the card manufacturer and Renesas/NEC.