USB 3.0 upgrade

Win XP PRO and updating to WIN 7.
my computer has only PCI slots. no PCI-E slots,

Upgrading to USB 3.0 my only option that I can see is going the PCMCIA PC Card cardbus to PCI Card Adapter route.
This card allows the use of a PCMPCIA 34mm/54mm express card used in Laptop to accommodate USB3.0
I will have an external 500 GB(SATA) HD with USB 3.0 output to computer. Allowing for faster (10X) backup.

I did locate a 2 Port PCI USB 3.0 card Adapter by Startech but the cost is more than double at this time.
And a PCI to PCI-E converter card is as expensive, and would entail the purchase of a PCI-E USB 3.0 card.

Opinions, suggestions, appreciated.

Have you check out newegg in Canada. Their Prices are not bad.

Failed to note these are all PCI-E cards. :(
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...i+usb+3.0+card

No PCI USB 3.0 cards at the NewEgg link, unfortunately. I guess the manufacturers figure that if you don't have PCI Express, you don't need USB 3.0

Ouch, my bad. and looks like jdc2000 is right about them manufacturers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jdc2000

I guess the manufacturers figure that if you don't have PCI Express, you don't need USB 3.0

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PCI can't handle USB 3.0 - it copes with USB 2, having about twice the required bandwidth, but USB 3.0 is 5 times the bandwidth of the regular PCI slot.

Why did you particularly need USB3, Frank?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Platypus

PCI can't handle USB 3.0 - it copes with USB 2, having about twice the required bandwidth, but USB 3.0 is 5 times the bandwidth of the regular PCI slot.

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Rats, but thanks for the information.

OK here is the jpg for each Item.
Cost on E-Bay for Both delivered.$27.97

Enabling me to use USB 3.0 on with desktop / Laptop.
Going forward with technology.

Can use with win 7 when upgraded.

Unless you already have some USB 3.0 only devices, there is no reason to spend any money to equip your current system with a USB 3.0 interface card. As Platypus mentioned, anything connected to your system through a PCI slot will not be able to use the higher speeds that USB 3.0 provides the capability for.

Looking to buy
Iomega 34988 500GB eGo Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive
or similar HD external.
for back up purposes.
As I want to use data from Desk to Laptop.or vs verso.

Looking at perhaps going the HDD Docking station with sata drives and USB 3.0 connection to clone and/or back-up.

My problem is I don't have a PCI e slot only a PCI slot.
no funds to change motherboard at present.
Now it takes almost 2 hours to back-up clone HD
with USB 3.0 it should cut it to half that at least.

OK, now we have some info on what you are wanting to do to help us.

To get a USB 3.0 interface on your system, you will be converting tfrom USB 3.0 to a PCMCIA card, and then from the PCMCIA card to the PCI bus. With all of that conversion going on, it is unlikely that you will be able to cut your backup time in half. Also, the drive itself will limit the speed at which the data can be stored. If you were using an SSD drive or other flash memory drive, that would be much faster.


USB 3.0 speed info:

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10t...20-and-30/1265

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscente...th_usb_30.html

If you have a spare SATA port on the motherboard, you would be better off getting an eSATA backplane bracket for the PC, and make sure that the external drive and docking station have eSATA ports on them (many do). eSATA will be just as quick as USB3, since the limiting factor will be the speed of the hard drives in either case.

Thank You.
A lot to Read. Study.
Will re-assess and see if I can go the eSATA route.
I do have SATA spare on motherboard.
Will come back.

If you have an unused SATA connection available on your mobo,
Following may be of interest,

• Vantec Nexstar CX NST-300SU-BK

Product listed as including:
3.5" NexStar CX Enclosure, USB Cable, eSATA Cable, SATA to eSATA Bracket, Power Adapter, User Manual, Vertical Stand.

Caution:
End user feedbacks of "Hotplug" support with eSATA is inconsistent.
Results same in WinXP and Win7.

Be prepared to connect eSATA enclosure to system and power on prior to system boot up, every time before use.

There is an easier way than that, if a SATA drive is not detected when plugged in, just go to Computer Management>Disk Management, and in the Action menu, choose "Rescan disks".

I think a lot of the time it is just people being impatient though, it can sometimes take up to a minute before the drive appears in Explorer, I find.

searched and found that Startech has The PCIUSB3S2 2-Port PCI to SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card allows for legacy PCI slots to support the USB 3.0 standard, which is capable of data transfer rates up to 5 Gbps (10x faster than USB 2.0).
attached is jpg.
best price so far from ProVantage $54.82.... Will just wait to better price...
It is available, at least.

Also found in my search that startech also has a PCI to PCI Express Adapter card Low Profile but again $39.99

As popularity of USB 3.0 increases, there will be 3rd party mfg's.

For $5, you can have better performance with eSATA:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...racket&x=0&y=0

As the others have explained, USB3 is never going to be satisfactory when used in a PCI slot, you won't gain anything over USB2.

Is the following wrong?

"the eSATA interface for an ultra-fast data transfer speed of up to 3Gbps and USB 3.0 interface to achieve an even faster speed of up to 5Gbps"
see here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sata#Revisions

Its up for grabs.
I have to agree that eSATA in today's world.
Tomorrow's world...
All the HD externals are being "pushed" with USB 3.0 no mention of eSATA.

Than again here is the solution to that

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812270301

Or this the answer.-
Has USB 3.0 and eSATA interface for comnnection. plus card reader, plus front mounting.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/USB-3-0-3-Port-Hu...item2a0f3ba3c1

But you are not living in tomorrow's world. You have a motherboard that only has a PCI slot, thus ensuring that you will never be able to get proper USB3 performance. If you had a bang up to date PC with USB3 ports, that would be a different matter, and you could argue that USB3 is the way to go. Though that is not certain as there are other high-speed interfaces on the way.

In either case, the theoretical maximum throughput of the interface is pretty much irrelevant, as no devices exist that can manage anywhere near that kind of sustained transfer rate.

thanks for the reply SuperSparks.
Concur with you re speed.
What do you think of the front panel unit. Can get it here
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/multi-f...er-combo-56953

for $27.21
connect to e-SATA which I do have port for.

It would be faster than USB 2.0 right...

I'm going to have to shop for another board/CPU.

Those front panel units are fine, they certainly make it easier to plug the cables in.

eSATA will be faster than USB2, but if using an external drive with a mechanical HDD, there won't be a huge difference between the two. If using an SSD external drive, then the eSATA interface would be a great deal faster.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by frankb

It would be faster than USB 2.0 right...

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http://www.SpywareDrGuide.com/Virtua...a_esata_01.gif