[SOLVED] USB 3 operating as USB 2.

[JohnSmith7798]

I have 2 different types of USB ports on prebuilt Dell system. Some of the ports are black inside, which I take to be USB 2, and some of them are blue inside, which I take are USB 3. However, they all seem to be transferring data at the same rate, which isn't very fast, though I can't recall the exact rate. Is there any way of testing the ports to tell if I'm right in thinking that they are all operating as USB 2? I've tried updating drivers, but didn't help. Maybe I'm not doing it right. It says they all have the most current drivers already installed.

 

[rgd1101]

transferring from the ssd or the slow hdd?

 

[JohnSmith7798]

transferring from the ssd or the slow hdd?

Transferring to an 8GB Seagate Backup Plus Hub. Maybe the ports on that are the problem, but when I attach an Oculus Quest 2 to the USB ports, and I've tried them all, the oculus software also identifies them as USB 2 and recommends connecting via a USB 3 port.

 

[rgd1101]

windows 10? got the chipset driver install?

 

[JohnSmith7798]

Yes, Windows 10. Ran the Intel Driver and Support Assistant, and it says that there are no supported driver or software updates available for my system. Also went through the device manager, and all seem to have the latest drivers already installed.

 

[JohnSmith7798]

Windows 10 doesn't seem to be fully supported by my system according to Dell. Went on Dell website to update drivers and USB 3 drivers won't install. 😕

 

[Paperdoc]

That Seagate Backup Plus Hub is stated to be a USB3.0 device. The USB people have re-named that as USB 3.2 Gen1, but that is only a name change - it's still the same. So that unit is not your problem.

Look closely inside the USB type A sockets on you computer case and back panel. The original USB2 connector has four metal contact strips on the surface of the supporting flat plate inside the socket, and you will see the same construction inside the PLUG on the end of a USB2 cable. ALL UAB3.2 Gen (whatever) Type A connector SOCKETS have those same four strips to the surface, PLUS five smaller contact points along the front EDGE of that support piece. The mating PLUGS have their five contacts at the very back of the open space. So that way you can tell which Type A Sockets are on your machine. You should find some are USB3, and the sockets on the Seagate unit also should be.

THEN you need to check the CABLE you are using. Probably the one you use with the Seagate unit has a Type A on one end to plug into the comptuer socket, and a smaller Type B (or another) on the other end to plug into the Seagate unit. Look at the wider Type A Plug on one end. It needs to have both the four strips along the surface AND the five contact points across the BACK of the plug open space. For a USB3 connection to work, the computer socket, the external device, AND the connecting cable all need to be the new USB3 design.

Check also the fit. To make those five contacts work the plug must be able to fit all the way into the socket smoothly.

 

[JohnSmith7798]

Thanks Paperdoc. I think it might be my cables that are the problem. I now have a better understanding of what needs to match up with what to make things work as expected.
Did the UserBenchmark and plugged the external storage into a USB 2 and then a USB 3 socket. Noticed a significant difference so they do seem to be working ok.

 

[Paperdoc]

Glad to hear you got it working. Thanks for Best Answer.