USB converters - are there any that don't require opening up my PC

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Guest

I don't have a laptop, so I can't use those handy cards that convert a USB
1.1. port to a 2.0 port. I recently installed an exterior hard drive, and I
discovered that ALL the ports on my PC are USB 1.1 - I was certain it was new
enough to have 2.0. I would like to back up my hard disk to the external
drive without taking 12 hours or more to do it. I am really unsure of my
ability to install a PCI card inside my computer - I usually take it to a
shop if it needs to be opened. Does anyone know of an externally mounted
converter? I see all kinds of hubs out ther but all they do is add ports -
they do not upgrade to 2.0. I would appreciate any suggestions, including
telling me that no such thing exists, so I won't keep looking!

Thank you,
Flora
 
Cari, geeeezzz....

Re-read the original post. Carefully.

"I don't have a laptop, so I can't use those handy
cards that convert a USB 1.1. port to a 2.0 port."

OK?
 
A 10 year old can install a USB 2.0 card. Just open the case, find an open
slot on the board and plug it in. If you have SP2 installed on the operating
system, the card should be detected, and functional, upon the first boot up.
Now plug in your external drive and use it. It may have to be partitioned
and formatted first.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from George Ankner:
If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!
 
Just put a PCI card in the desktop slot.... or ask your local PC store to do
it for you and pay the $50+ installation charge. Honestly, it takes 2
minutes. There are no cables to connect. Just one single card that slots
in.

Drivers are built into XP provided you have SP2 so there's no software to
install.

The PCMCIA cards do NOT upgrade or replace a USB 1.1 to 2.0 They ADD
additional ports. Only other option is get a new PC. You cannot 'upgrade'
USB ports. They are what they are. Part of the motherboard. Of course you
can change the motherboard, but if you're that worried about adding one PCI
card that will come with complete instructions, I do not expect you to
change a motherboard without a cardiac arrest....

And let's see, I've answered somewhere about 100 posts today and yesterday
on a holiday weekend, so perhaps I misread one of them. Sorry, but I have a
life too. You get free assistance here, 24/7 please don't complain when we
get one thing wrong. You could have picked up the phone and called your
local PC store too you know.
 
Actually I've seen a 7 year old do it! I should have taken pictures. I
love it when they show their parents how smart they are after the parents
have called me in to advise and the kids say they already know how to do
it!!
 
Thank you Cari, I believe I will take the plunge and get a PCI card and do it
myself, now that I have read more about it since I posted my question -
however please note it was not I who "complained" about the service on this
forum - I really appreciate the info.
 
Well, logic would say that if the bottleneck is because usb1.1 is slow, then
even if the hardware 'looked' like2. on the outside, or to the connecting
device, the bottleneck would still be there.

I'dd go for an add in card or if you have a laptop, apcmcia card with USB 2
on it. I've done this with an old 233mhz laptop and it works fine.

Brian
 
Flora said:
Thank you Cari, I believe I will take the plunge and get a PCI card and do it
myself, now that I have read more about it since I posted my question -
however please note it was not I who "complained" about the service on this
forum - I really appreciate the info.
Click to expand...

Just don't forget about the grounding. Discharge the static electricity
before opening the package and touching the PCI card
and computer parts...

Good luck,
--PA
 
Now, he's got to open his desktop box and add a PCMCIA
hardware, might just as well buy a USB 2.0 PCI card and be
done with it. It really isn't hard to do, to the OP, give
it a try.



--
Merry Christmas
Have a Safe and Happy New Year
Live Long and Prosper
Jim Macklin
message | Something like these:
|
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ategory=0&minPrice=&maxPrice=&Go.x=15&Go.y=31
|
| Will fit in the PCMCIA port and give you USB 2.0 ports.
| --
| Cari (MS-MVP)
| Printing & Imaging
| http://www.coribright.com/windows
|
|
|
| | >I don't have a laptop, so I can't use those handy cards
that convert a USB
| > 1.1. port to a 2.0 port. I recently installed an
exterior hard drive, and
| > I
| > discovered that ALL the ports on my PC are USB 1.1 - I
was certain it was
| > new
| > enough to have 2.0. I would like to back up my hard disk
to the external
| > drive without taking 12 hours or more to do it. I am
really unsure of my
| > ability to install a PCI card inside my computer - I
usually take it to a
| > shop if it needs to be opened. Does anyone know of an
externally mounted
| > converter? I see all kinds of hubs out ther but all they
do is add ports -
| > they do not upgrade to 2.0. I would appreciate any
suggestions, including
| > telling me that no such thing exists, so I won't keep
looking!
| >
| > Thank you,
| > Flora
|
|
 
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