[SOLVED] USB 3.1 Gen 2

[gn842a]

My Asus X470 mobo instructions show a U31G2_C1 socket but I'm having the devil's own time figuring out what I would do with the cable if I went ahead and got it. I was watching Paul from Newegg (his youtube "Paul's Hardware") drill into his case and file the USB cable head in order to get it mounted and I said to myself, "No thank you." Because I use data intensive external media infrequently and when I do it usually doesn't matter whether the transfer takes 5 minutes or 20.

However, it has piqued my curiosity. My main application these days is for an external HDD which I use to do a manual backup and then disconnect from the computer so that if I have an encryption attack I've got something that doesn't show on the system. Probably because I tend to revert to old fashioned thinking I got an external HDD/SDD case and installed a Western Digital 1 TB HDD and it seems to be working and fast enough for my purposes (once a week backup of 150 gigs), I connect it through 3.0 Gen 1.

Cruising Newegg this morning I saw 250 and 500 gig flash memory sticks and I realized this would be an even simpler way to go. So when the WD dies I'll pursue that option. And of course a 3.1 Gen 2 port would be ideal for such a purpose.

I don't understand why there isn't a 3.5 or 5 inch panel with 3.1 Gen 2 that can go in the front of the case or even just a longish wire so it can go out backwards on to a rear slot?????

If anyone can help me out I'd be obliged. Maybe there is such a thing out there that I am missing.

I do computer builds "as needed" and so I wasn't even aware 3.1 Gen 2 existed until I read it in my ASUS manual. Maybe I should drop in here more often. I'm just surprised to see this thing on my mobo with no particularly good way to get it operational, and if Paul is drilling into his case maybe in fact I'm looking for a product that doesn't exist yet? If this is a matter of waiting six months well then, I can do that.

thanks
Greg N

 

[Barty1884]

I don't understand why there isn't a 3.5 or 5 inch panel with 3.1 Gen 2 that can go in the front of the case or even just a longish wire so it can go out backwards on to a rear slot?????

They do. But there's not many of them due to the fall in popularity/necessity of 5.25" bays.
https://www.amazon.com/EZDIY-FAB-2-Port-Connector-Extender-Transfer/dp/B078Z52Y1X

I considered the USB-C "hack" that Paul's Hardware posted a while back, but those cables (especially the Lian-Li one he used) are expensive.

 

[gn842a]

They do. But there's not many of them due to the fall in popularity/necessity of 5.25" bays.
https://www.amazon.com/EZDIY-FAB-2-Port-Connector-Extender-Transfer/dp/B078Z52Y1X

I considered the USB-C "hack" that Paul's Hardware posted a while back, but those cables (especially the Lian-Li one he used) are expensive.

OK I placed one on order thank you very much. I'm surprised they don't have them go into a rear slot. The case designers are going to have to come up with some kind of idea for these.....

Meantime my other ATX is from around 1995 and still has a 3.5 inch floppy. The build is much newer. That 3.5 inch floppy bay would be ideal for this application. I just leave the floppy in to block the dust. (It's not a 1995 build in there. It's a 2014 build.)

thanks
Greg N