Question USB 2.0 Transfer Speeds, Older Desktop Maxed at 30 MB/s?

[zomboromano]

I have an older desktop, an HP Z220 with an i7 3700.

If you compare the speed on this desktop to newer laptops even with i5 or i7 processors, the speed is very comparable, and I can also add a video card, etc. This is a great budget rig for sure! I think I spent $200 before a video card and I was able to get an i7 with 16GB of RAM!

Here's the downside, and what I need help with: File transfer speeds.

I try to edit 1080p video on occasion, and the file transfer speeds are absolutely dreadful! I have a USB-C SSD hooked up to an adapter, and I'm getting 30 MB/s.

I have an sd card that will transfer at 90-120, and my ssd of course will transfer much faster than that on a normal computer, but these usb c 2.0 ports are the problem.

If I upgrade my ports on this older computer, the HP Z220, would I be able to get usb 3.0 speeds?

If not, are there are any alternatives that would allow me to easily and quickly transfer files? The desktop itself has an ssd, and I'm using an ssd to transfer files to and from, and occasionally I use a higher quality SD card.

PS: If there is absolutely no way to do this, are there any other budget alternatives out there? I don't want to build my own gaming pc. But I don't mind buying a computer with parts and swapping a few myself. If there's a computer out there for $200 on ebay that would have the necessary usb c 3.0 ports, it might be worth getting. The other nicer desktops I'm seeing with amd processors and really nice specs are about $700 to $800 open box, for newer devices with usb c ports. But if anyone has any alternatives shout them out. This is only of course if there's no alternative to fix my issue.

Thanks for any help!

 

[OrlyP]

That PC have both USB 2.0 (black) and USB 3.0 (blue) ports. Are you sure you're plugging in your external USB3.0 SSD to a USB3.0 (blue) port?

 

[Bob.B]

I have an older desktop, an HP Z220 with an i7 3700.

If you compare the speed on this desktop to newer laptops even with i5 or i7 processors, the speed is very comparable, and I can also add a video card, etc. This is a great budget rig for sure! I think I spent $200 before a video card and I was able to get an i7 with 16GB of RAM!

Here's the downside, and what I need help with: File transfer speeds.

I try to edit 1080p video on occasion, and the file transfer speeds are absolutely dreadful! I have a USB-C SSD hooked up to an adapter, and I'm getting 30 MB/s.

I have an sd card that will transfer at 90-120, and my ssd of course will transfer much faster than that on a normal computer, but these usb c 2.0 ports are the problem.

If I upgrade my ports on this older computer, the HP Z220, would I be able to get usb 3.0 speeds?

If not, are there are any alternatives that would allow me to easily and quickly transfer files? The desktop itself has an ssd, and I'm using an ssd to transfer files to and from, and occasionally I use a higher quality SD card.

PS: If there is absolutely no way to do this, are there any other budget alternatives out there? I don't want to build my own gaming pc. But I don't mind buying a computer with parts and swapping a few myself. If there's a computer out there for $200 on ebay that would have the necessary usb c 3.0 ports, it might be worth getting. The other nicer desktops I'm seeing with amd processors and really nice specs are about $700 to $800 open box, for newer devices with usb c ports. But if anyone has any alternatives shout them out. This is only of course if there's no alternative to fix my issue.

Thanks for any help!

That machine does not have usb C ports so it's unclear what your saying.
The machine has usb2 and usb3 ports.
You want to use the usb3 ports.
There are some in the front and back test them all.
If no help post a link to the usb>sata adapter your using.

 

[zomboromano]

That machine does not have usb C ports so it's unclear what your saying.
The machine has usb2 and usb3 ports.
You want to use the usb3 ports.
There are some in the front and back test them all.
If no help post a link to the usb>sata adapter your using.

This is interesting.

I'm using one of those sandisk extremes that uses usb-c. It came with a usb-a adapter, so I connect it through the adapter. and I'm using a samsung usb-c cord that came with a smartphone.

Even in the usb 3 ports it's still only transferring between 30 and 35 MB/s

 

[Bob.B]

This is interesting.

I'm using one of those sandisk extremes that uses usb-c. It came with a usb-a adapter, so I connect it through the adapter. and I'm using a samsung usb-c cord that came with a smartphone.

Even in the usb 3 ports it's still only transferring between 30 and 35 MB/s

Post a link to this sandisk extreme that you have.

 

[zomboromano]

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sandis...ble-solid-state-drive/6427550.p?skuId=6427550

I tried using a regular usb-c to usb-a cable (no adapter) and still am only getting 35 on the transfer speeds, and it's in the usb-3 slot (with the SS logo next to it). I tried multiple ports as well

 

[Bob.B]

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sandis...ble-solid-state-drive/6427550.p?skuId=6427550

I tried using a regular usb-c to usb-a cable (no adapter) and still am only getting 35 on the transfer speeds, and it's in the usb-3 slot (with the SS logo next to it). I tried multiple ports as well

Run this.......... https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/as_ssd_benchmark.html
Point it at the sandisk.
Post a screen shot of the results.

 

[OrlyP]

Wait, you're converting USB 'A' to USB 'C'?

Unless this USB A is USB3.0 or higher, you'll only get USB2.0 throughput, regardless if you have an external USB3.0 or USB C drive.

Which port are you plugging it in? Blue or Black?

 

[zomboromano]

Run this.......... https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/as_ssd_benchmark.html
Point it at the sandisk.
Post a screen shot of the results.

Here are my results

 

[zomboromano]

Wait, you're converting USB 'A' to USB 'C'?

Unless this USB A is USB3.0 or higher, you'll only get USB2.0 throughput, regardless if you have an external USB3.0 or USB C drive.

Which port are you plugging it in? Blue or Black?

Let me quickly explain again.

I have an older desktop, an HP Z220 with a 256GB SSD.

Externally, I wanted to transfer files onto my computer. I was trying to use the usb 3.0 usb a port.

My external SSD, that I'm using to transfer files ONTO the computer, it is a usb c nvme ssd. Link is here

Bottom line: I'm using an external nvme ssd to transfer files onto my computer, and I'm only getting between 20 and 30 MB/s. if I put an SD card into the same usb slot (with an adapter) I get 34 MB/s (this is an sd card that can normally transfer up to 90 MB/s.

So transfer speeds are very slow.

Whether I use a usb a to usb c cable, or whether I use a usb c cable with a usb a adapter, it doesn't matter

I have what I think is a pretty good SSD in my desktop, and I have a very fast nvme ssd on the outside, but file transfer speeds are very low.

And yes, I'm plugging into the blue port, the port that says "SS" next to it, referring to usb 3.0.

Originally I didn't think my computer had usb 3.0 ports (I was a little naive) but Bob clarified, which I appreciate!

 

[Bob.B]

Here are my results

That shows your plugged into an usb3 port.
Am I correct that you are trying to copy from the ext to the int?
How full is your internal ssd?
Is trim enabled on this internal?
In device manager is write caching enabled for the internal?

 

[zomboromano]

That shows your plugged into an usb3 port.
Am I correct that you are trying to copy from the ext to the int?
How full is your internal ssd?
Is trim enabled on this internal?
In device manager is write caching enabled for the internal?

Sorry... I added to the confusion. I ran the test on my INTERNAL Sandisk SSD.

Here are the results from my EXTERNAL Sandisk SSD that I'm trying to transfer files from:

 

[Bob.B]

Sorry... I added to the confusion. I ran the test on my INTERNAL Sandisk SSD.

Here are the results from my EXTERNAL Sandisk SSD that I'm trying to transfer files from:

Take this ext to another machine use the same cable and adapter.
Run the benchmark.
Post the results.

 

[zomboromano]

Take this ext to another machine use the same cable and adapter.
Run the benchmark.
Post the results.

I can already tell you that this SSD flies on other machines, it's super fast, it's an nvme SSD after all. But I'll get those results in the next day or so and post back.

Thanks for your help

 

[Bob.B]

I can already tell you that this SSD flies on other machines, it's super fast, it's an nvme SSD after all. But I'll get those results in the next day or so and post back.

Thanks for your help

Just make sure you use the same cable and adapter when testing on another machine.

 

[Pimpom]

Have you checked to see if your USB 3 ports have the correct USB 3 driver installed?

 

[zomboromano]

Finally, after ages and ages, I have ran these tests!

Test 1: I did this test straight into the usb-c port on my new laptop

Test 2: I did this test with the usb c/usb a adapter

As you can see, the speeds are FAAAR faster on another computer. Even with the usb-c/usb-a adapter, I still get extreme speeds.

The other computer has usb 3.0 ports, so I just can't figure out why it's so slow

 

[Bob.B]

Finally, after ages and ages, I have ran these tests!

Test 1: I did this test straight into the usb-c port on my new laptop

Test 2: I did this test with the usb c/usb a adapter

As you can see, the speeds are FAAAR faster on another computer. Even with the usb-c/usb-a adapter, I still get extreme speeds.

The other computer has usb 3.0 ports, so I just can't figure out why it's so slow

That is showing usb3 gen 1 speed.
Go back to the desktop and run the same test using the usb3 ports on the desktop.
Post a screen shot.

 

[zomboromano]

That is showing usb3 gen 1 speed.
Go back to the desktop and run the same test using the usb3 ports on the desktop.
Post a screen shot.

That's what this test was

 

[Bob.B]

That's what this test was

All I see is a circle with a dash in it.

 

[zomboromano]

All I see is a circle with a dash in it.

weird, the picture loads for me.

33 MB/s, 28.91 MB/S
6.44, 8.25
15.45, 39.97
0.629 ms 0.331 ms

In an insane turn of events, I unplugged the drive and plugged it into every single usb port. Finally, I got to a non usb 3.0 port, and it started reading at insane speeds, the non usb 3.0 port next to it, the same thing.

Then I went back to the usb 3.0 port, also insane speeds again (around 300-400)

Apparently somehow testing in each drive, unplugging and plugging back in, triggered it to start reading and writing at faster speeds, including in the other ports.

I'm guessing that they maybe upgraded all the ports to usb 3.0, even though they aren't "blue" and they don't have the "ss" next to them.

But what doesn't make sense is why the speeds are triggering now and they weren't before.

Also, I can't say for sure if it's going to revert to previous issues that it had before.

I am powering a usb wifi card... Could that potentially suck enough power up that they downgrade the speeds to save power? Between that and usb speakers?