Storage Solutions Can USB 2.0 cable be used with USB 3.0 hdds ?

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If you are asking about cable, then USB 3.0 cable is different from USB 2.0. The end connecting to HDD is different. Yes,USB 3.0 HDD can be used on USB 2.0 ports.
 
@ otaku - It seems you understood my question clearly, but you have not given the answer.

A USB 3.0 cable operating in USB 2.0 speed and connecting to the computer end is possible. The computer end of both the USB 2.0 and the USB 3.0 cable is same. But the device end of USB 3.0 is different from USB 2.0.

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Update :

I came to know that USB 2.0 connectors are of several types. One is the mini B cable and the other micro B cable. The mini B is the one found in USB 2.0 portable hdds. The micro B is the one which looks like Nokia connectivity cable. Hope its clear now. Now if its a micro B usb cable it can be connected to the USB 3.0 port of the hdd.

Now can the Nokia cable be connected to the USB 3.0 port of seagate ?. Anyone having a Nokia connectivity cable or any other USB micro B cable please confirm this. And i am not sure whether the nokia cable is exactly the same micro B type, but the letter B is visible in the device end of the cable...

I found that the USB 3.0 port is an annexure of the USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 port into one port which is MICRO B port. And there is no mini B cable for USB 3.0
 
Its not exactly different, rather making a new port, they have joined 1 existing port and another port together.

The nokia cable can be connected, but then the device will run @ USB2.0 speeds only.
 
^ are you sure the nokia cable will work with a usb hdd And have you checked it ?

Because i have some usb 2.0 cables with me which is working only with my mp3 player and refuses to work with my hdd. I think, for portable hdds a special cable is required even though it can be plugged into the device...

one shop retails usb 2.0 micro b cable but there is double price diff. Between a micro b 2.0 cable and mini b 2.0 cable. Can you point a shop in chennai where cable items are sold ?

tia...
 
Just bought a wd my passport essential 500gb usb3.0. using a regular micro usb cable (from a nokia mobile phone) with no problems.
 
Julian said:
Just bought a wd my passport essential 500gb usb3.0. using a regular micro usb cable (from a nokia mobile phone) with no problems.
Click to expand...

yup I confirm that too....my "WD passport Essential USB 3.0" works with the micro USB cable ...
 
Thank you very much guys

@jack and Julian - Seems you two must have bought that drive recently. What do you feel guys ?. I have opted for a seagate go flex drive USB 3.0 but since it comes with some kind of dock to which the cable attaches, the drive becomes big and i am looking for a non modular solution like the WD . But i heard lot of horror storries about WD, however i dont have any idea about the portable ones. Could you people please throw some light as to how the speed of the WD compare with that of the seagate goflex drive ...

thanx in advance....
 
All drives have a certain percentage of failures and the more a drive sells, the number of reported failures will also increase correspondingly. Unless in a rare case where there IS a specific problem with a drive, where you'd have an extremely large number.

I kinda like the wd passport, it's really portable compared to the rest, not very sure about the goflex because i've only used the expansion, which is HUGE. only problem with the passport is it's a scratch, fingerprint and dust magnet. If fitting comfy in a shirt pocket isn't a priority, the elements is a good option, less of a 'magnet'.

I'm not sure the goflex has a dock, it's just a cable with a large attachment.

goflex-turbo-black-angle-w-dock-320x340.png


This is a pic of a goflex turbo, but you get the idea. i may be wrong of course, there are dozens of variants these days.

For performance benchmarks, google would be your best bet, i'm sure people out there keep doing comparative reviews of portable hdds.
 
I had checked the WD 1TB portable USB3.0 for transfer speeds when I got it. The peak speed achieved on the blank HDD was between 75-80 MB/s. Used teracopy and speed noted is my visual observation, no benchmarks were run.
 
@julian - Yes, i was refering to the large attachment only. THough the cable is detachable from the that attachment, and the attachment is always going to stay with the drive, the drive's size increases. The reason being my HDD pouch which i bought for my FAGO cannot be used with the GOFLEX drive because of this attachment. I will have to unplug and secure it inside the pouch. In order to avoid that hassle i think i can go for the WD drive. But i dont want the performance to be compromised for this reason.

Simply to say, if the both the drives are going to perform the same and if both the drives have the same size, i would give 1st preference only for the Seagate drive. But if the performance is same, and WD A.S.S is good but the seagate is big, then i will very well welcome the WD drive..

@ proing - thanx mate, you must be operating the unit in USB 3.0 port it seems. Can you check and tell me in USB 2.0 port ?
 
no i didnt mean the slim version. i meant the normal one only. So along with the attachment, will the normal drive fit in the pouch , since it has room for my fago ?
 
No idea what the fago is, but i guess you can add like 20mm to the length of the drive and see if it fits. Someone with a goflex could probably provide more info about the total length of the drive with the attachment.
 
dduuhhhhhhhhh

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spec-wise, the fago (lol) is almost 20mm longer than the goflex. so a case which fits a fago should easily take a golfex and the cable. only prob is the cable will have to take a sharp 180° bend.
 
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