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USB 2.0...eh?

Lucky Lee
Posted 13/10/2007 - 06:23 Link
OK, I'll admit that I'm a Techno-Dolt!
I plugged something into the PC last night and up popped a message about things would be faster with USB 2.0; what the heck is USB 2.0?
Then I noticed on a site I was mulling over that they had items for sale that were 'USB 2.0 compatable'; why am I not USB 2.0 compatable? I want to be USB 2.0 compatable......please help!
johnriley
Posted 13/10/2007 - 07:07 Link
USB has been updated to version 2.0 to give faster transfer speeds.

USB 1.1 is compatible with this, so you won't find things you can't use. Although some card readers can be a bit tricky!

All fairly recent PCs will be USB 2.0
Best regards, John
stevejcoe
Posted 13/10/2007 - 07:50 Link
Lucky Lee wrote:
OK, I'll admit that I'm a Techno-Dolt!
I plugged something into the PC last night and up popped a message about things would be faster with USB 2.0; what the heck is USB 2.0?
Then I noticed on a site I was mulling over that they had items for sale that were 'USB 2.0 compatable'; why am I not USB 2.0 compatable? I want to be USB 2.0 compatable......please help!

To avoid future problems I would recommend buying a dedicated USB 2 card. This will plug into a PCI slot and be much more reliable.
Windows XP and especially Vista can have problems recognising some USB devices attached to motherboard USB ports.

You can find them on Ebay for less than £5
lenscape
Posted 13/10/2007 - 08:12 Link
USB has been through a few transformations over its lifetime.

USB 1.0 was fairly quickly replaced with USB 1.1 which operates at two data speeds: 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second) and 12 Mbps.

1.5 Mbps is called low speed and is for slow devices like keyboards and mice.
12 Mpbs is called full speed and is ideal for devices with modest speed requirements such as printers, webcams and broadband connections.

However, even full speed is slow for data storage requirements; so to extend the usefulness of USB, high speed was introduced by the end of 2001 and this transferred data at a useful 480 Mbps.

High speed is ideal for digital cameras, and storage devices like memory card readers and external disk drives.

If your computer was made before 2002 then it may only have USB 1.1 ports so you'll be limited to 12 Mbps but you can buy adapters to add USB 2.0 ports and they're easy to fit if you're happy with opening up a PC.

Data transfer at 480 Mpbs gives a progress bar that is a very satisfying - though brief - thing to observe.

USB 3.0 comes out next year adding 4.8 Gbps - a ten times speed increase. That is rather unimaginatively called super speed. Devices aren't expected much before 2010, however.
lenscape
K20D, K10D, K-m, MZ3, Metz 58-AF1, Optio MX4 & Linux.(No Windows)
(Gone: *istD, ME Super, Super-A)
Ammonyte
Posted 13/10/2007 - 10:54 Link
Welcome Lucky Lee.

Some PC's have USB sockets on both the front and back, and they may have USB2.0 sockets at back and USB1.0 sockets on front or vice versa, so if you have sockets in different locations, try the other side! (I've seen Dells like this)
Tim the Ammonyte
--------------
K10D & sundry toys
http://www.ammonyte.com/photos.html
Lucky Lee
Posted 14/10/2007 - 13:39 Link
Thank you everyone!

Firstly I must say that I was here before, but I can't log on with my old name or password (I wasn't banned!) so I've rejoined!

My laptop is about 2 years old (maybe a little less) so I don't think that I can open it up to stick things into it; even if I could I wouldn't!!

Anyhow, thanks for all the advice it has been very helpful.
George Lazarette
Posted 14/10/2007 - 13:42 Link
Lucky Lee wrote:
Thank you everyone!

Firstly I must say that I was here before, but I can't log on with my old name or password (I wasn't banned!) so I've rejoined!

My laptop is about 2 years old (maybe a little less) so I don't think that I can open it up to stick things into it; even if I could I wouldn't!!

Anyhow, thanks for all the advice it has been very helpful.

If your laptop is two years old, it will have USB2.

G
Keywords: Charming, polite, and generally agreeable.
Lucky Lee
Posted 14/10/2007 - 13:58 Link
Mmmmm, so why am I getting messages telling me that USB 2.0 would be better?
I'm going to have to look into this a little more
Flasharry
Posted 14/10/2007 - 16:27 Link
LL it may be as ammonyte says that you have some USB sockets at USB 2 and some at USB 1.1. My computer has USB 2 at the back but those at the front are USB 1.1. I don't know what the set up is on your laptop but if it has more than one USB socket it might be worth trying all of them to find out if any of them are USB 2 (or even reading the manual!) .
Steve.
Lucky Lee
Posted 14/10/2007 - 16:48 Link
Flasharry wrote:
(or even reading the manual!) .

Hey, that's an idea! Now, where the heck did I put it
stevejcoe
Posted 15/10/2007 - 03:48 Link
Lucky Lee wrote:
Mmmmm, so why am I getting messages telling me that USB 2.0 would be better?
I'm going to have to look into this a little more

If the laptop does indeed have USB 2, check out the manufacturers website, they may have some updated drivers, that might fix the problem, Windows is supposed to do this automatically, but it maybe that the manufacturer did not bother to get the drivers verified.
Flasharry
Posted 15/10/2007 - 08:15 Link
Lucky Lee wrote:
Flasharry wrote:
(or even reading the manual!) .

Hey, that's an idea! Now, where the heck did I put it

I know that feeling well
Steve.
Kim C
Posted 15/10/2007 - 09:03 Link
You may also need to check the settings in the BIOS. USB has to be enabled in the BIOS for it to work properly. If all else fails, you can always get a PCMIA USB card for less than £20. One final thought, not only must the drivers be loaded correctly but this must be done after SP1 has been installed in WinXP.

Kim

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