Question Will data transfer speeds be slower if an external SSD is USB 3.2 gen 2 but my motherboard is USB 3.2 gen 1?

[JMusic7]

I'm looking for an external SSD backup drive for my OS drive (2 TB SSD nvme) and my 4TB WD black HDD. My motherboard is capable of USB 3.2 gen 1 but the external drive I need, the Samsung T7 Shield 4TB, Portable SSD, is USB 3.2 gen 2. Data caps at up to 1,050 mb/s. Will the transfer speeds be lower? I need to backup my PC as quickly as possible.

 

[USAFRet]

I'm looking for an external SSD backup drive for my OS drive (2 TB SSD nvme) and my 4TB WD black HDD. My motherboard is capable of USB 3.2 gen 1 but the external drive I need, the Samsung T7 Shield 4TB, Portable SSD, is USB 3.2 gen 2. Data caps at up to 1,050 mb/s. Will the transfer speeds be lower? I need to backup my PC as quickly as possible.

Performance depends on the slowest device in the chain.

Here, probably the spinning HDD. No matter which 3.2 port you plug it into.
Also, the composition of the data.
10,000 files comprising 500GB will transfer slower than 2 files comprising 500GB.

Just start it, and let it run. It will be done when it is done.

 

[JMusic7]

Performance depends on the slowest device in the chain.

Here, probably the spinning HDD. No matter which 3.2 port you plug it into.
Also, the composition of the data.
10,000 files comprising 500GB will transfer slower than 2 files comprising 500GB.

Just start it, and let it run. It will be done when it is done.

I guess I'll just have to go with it and just be patient. Problem is that I hear a low sounding shutter or mechanical switching sound coming from the HDD every few seconds. Happened after the electrical outlet started sparking with my PSU still switched on (PC off). I think we were discussing it on a thread I posted a fee days ago. Not sure if you remember. I wonder how much faster it'll be compared to an 8TB MyBook. The MyBook is an external HDD as well but considering I'm transferring from one HDD to an SSD, it'll be slowed down no matter what so transferring from an HDD to a HDD would seem no different, correct? The pro about the MyBook is that it's 8TB unlike the external SSD which only goes up to 4TB. In order to fully back up both drives I would need to buy two SSDs but it's expensive right now.

 

[USAFRet]

The MyBook is an external HDD as well but considering I'm transferring from one HDD to an SSD, it'll be slowed down no matter what so transferring from an HDD to a HDD would seem no different, correct?

Correct.

Slowest device in the chain controls the speed.

 

[JMusic7]

Correct.

Slowest device in the chain controls the speed.

Would it be best to then choose the MyBook? The plan is to do a full backup and I need the 8TB. But speed is the big problem when transferring data from the SSD to the MyBook. I'm thinking I should grab all the data I can first from the HDD, then grab all the important data from the SSD (OS drive), then do a full backup of the HDD and then finally a full backup of the SSD. If the SSD was affected by an electrical charge bypassing the power surge protector, would it take longer to fail compared to a mechanical drive?

Would doing an image backup be a lot faster than manually backing up or backing up using the MyBook backup service?

 

[USAFRet]

Would it be best to then choose the MyBook? The plan is to do a full backup and I need the 8TB. But speed is the big problem when transferring data from the SSD to the MyBook. I'm thinking I should grab all the data I can first from the HDD, then grab all the important data from the SSD (OS drive), then do a full backup of the HDD and then finally a full backup of the SSD. If the SSD was affected by an electrical charge bypassing the power surge protector, would it take longer to fail compared to a mechanical drive?

Would doing an image backup be a lot faster than manually backing up or backing up using the MyBook backup service?

What is your overall goal with this "backup"?

If the drive was impacted by the power surge....either, and, or all of them could be affected.
There is no special "worse" for HDD vs SSD.

 

[USAFRet]

And for future reference, 'backups' are a thing that should be happening all the time.
Not just when there was a supposed problem.
Drives can die at any moment, even otherwise totally healthy ones.

 

[JMusic7]

And for future reference, 'backups' are a thing that should be happening all the time.
Not just when there was a supposed problem.
Drives can die at any moment, even otherwise totally healthy ones.

What is your overall goal with this "backup"?

If the drive was impacted by the power surge....either, and, or all of them could be affected.
There is no special "worse" for HDD vs SSD.

I need a full backup of my PC in case the drives fail. Problem is I had a MyBook previously but lost the paper the password was on, even though I had it in my studio room but never touched it. The key on my PC is also mysteriously gone. But I can't get rid of what I have on there so I'm going to have to wait until I find the paper again or remember the password.

So backing up everything as fast as possible is the goal. A 4TB SSD will probably get the job done faster, but it won't be a full backup. The MyBook will be able to do a full backup wlbut will be overall slower, and since it's mechanical, could still be prone to damage to its parts. Not all the data is super important though. Games mostly which could be re-downloaded, and some video files, as well as music plugins which also can be re downloaded.

 

[USAFRet]

I need a full backup of my PC in case the drives fail. Problem is I had a MyBook previously but lost the paper the password was on, even though I had it in my studio room but never touched it. The key on my PC is also mysteriously gone. But I can't get rid of what I have on there so I'm going to have to wait until I find the paper again or remember the password.

So backing up everything as fast as possible is the goal. A 4TB SSD will probably get the job done faster, but it won't be a full backup. The MyBook will be able to do a full backup wlbut will be overall slower, and since it's mechanical, could still be prone to damage to its parts. Not all the data is super important though. Games mostly which could be re-downloaded, and some video files, as well as music plugins which also can be re downloaded.

Instead of trying to find 'the fastest', if you had started this, to whichever drive, you'd likely be done already.
You asked about this yesterday.

"fastest" is not really a concern. "Yes" and "complete" are the things you want.

And don't try to use whatever built in software the drive comes with.
You want either just the regular files, or a 3rd party Full drive Image thing like Macrium Reflect or Acronis TrueImage.

 

[JMusic7]

O

Instead of trying to find 'the fastest', if you had started this, to whichever drive, you'd likely be done already.
You asked about this yesterday.

"fastest" is not really a concern. "Yes" and "complete" are the things you want.

And don't try to use whatever built in software the drive comes with.
You want either just the regular files, or a 3rd party Full drive Image thing like Macrium Reflect or Acronis TrueImage.

Then getting the MyBook will be the best option as I'll be able to do a full backup of both drives. I'll have to download Macrium Reflect free onto a flash drive from another computer so I can get it running as soon as possible.

Is a full image backup the same size as a typical backup? Meaning if you copy and paste everything from a drive (say 1TB) onto a backup drive, the image backup will be identical in size, correct?
Just trying to understand, never did an image backup before.

 

[USAFRet]

O

Then getting the MyBook will be the best option as I'll be able to do a full backup of both drives. I'll have to download Macrium Reflect free onto a flash drive from another computer so I can get it running as soon as possible.

Is a full image backup the same size as a typical backup? Meaning if you copy and paste everything from a drive (say 1TB) onto a backup drive, the image backup will be identical in size, correct?
Just trying to understand, never did an image backup before.

A Full drive Image with something like Macrium Reflect ($80, 30 day free trial), will capture the entire drive. And if this is the OS drive, allow you to recover that Image to some new drive, in the event the original died.

If al you are concerned with is your personal data, there are other tools and methods.