How to tell if USB is 2.0 or not 2

[CathodeRay]

How can we tell if our USB port is 2.0 or not? We're about to get an external disk drive (Western Digital My Book) that uses USB 2.0 and would like to confirm if it will work on our hardware or not.

I can offer this: In Control Panel > System > Hardware Devices, it says: ServerWorks (RCC) PCI to USB Open Host Controller and USB Root Hub. It doesn't say anything about "Enhanced" or "Expanded" or anything like that.

 

[gbaughma]

It will work, because 2.0 is backwards-compatible with 1.1.

If you plug in the drive, and it says "This device can perform faster", then you've plugged into 1.1.

Physically, there is no difference. However, you can look at your manu and it should tell you. However, on some machines I've seen 1.1 on the fronts, and 2.0 on the backs of the machines.

Anyway... long story short, your drive will work. And if you plug it in and you only have USB 1.1, then for $15 you can get a 2.0 PCI card.



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[CathodeRay]

Got it... a star for you for taking the time. Thanks.

 

[deenap]

USB 1.1 compared to USB 2.0 has transffer rate difference,
so if a USB 2.0 device is plugged into a USB 1.1 slot you get an error, " HI SPEED DEVICED PLUGGED INTO A LOW SPEED PORT "

like gbaughma mentioned USB 2.0 is backwards compatable

 

[theo1881]

would there not be an issue with powering the hard drive if he only has usb 1.1 though ?

Laters, phat, headshape

 

[deenap]

it should not be an issue to power up, external HDD enclosures come with either seperate PSU or powers up via
your USB slot, the USB port be it, USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 will power up the device

 

[xyzuser]

Good information, deenap (a star for it)

 

[paparazi]

All good advice but the bottom line is that all systems/motherboards/laptops manufactured in the last 6 years have USB2 so.....it's easy to tell simply based on age.
This question used to be asked an awful lot but as time has gone by and older hardware has been replaced by new this question has almost disappeared.
Martin

On wings like angels whispers sweet
my heart it feels a broken beat
Touched soul and hurt lay wounded deep
Brown eyes are lost afar and sleep

 

[deenap]

Right-click My Computer
Click on Properties
Click on the Hardware tab
Click on the device Manager button
Scroll down as needed until you see Universal Serial Bus Controllers
Expand that by clicking on the boxed plus sign in front of Universal Serial Bus Controllers

If it's "Enhanced", it's USB 2.0. If it's not, then it's USB 1.1