USB 3.0 External using 2.0 drivers

xpac5896 · 21 Sep 2014

I just did a new build using the ASUS Maximus VII Gene micro ATX w/USB 3.0 and the OS is Windows Ultimate w/SvcPak 1. The drivers for the 3.0 are INTEL and they have been installed. I'm using 2 Rosewill external enclosures both of which are 3.0 and the HD's are 1 & 2TB both of which are made by Western Digital. I have the externals connected to a battery backup so when the computer is shut down so are they and when the computer is turned on they are as well.
With my other computer, even though he USB was 2.0, the drives were recognized right away, however in this case I have to shut the Externals down and turn them back on. Windows will recognize them however Windows installs drivers from Microsoft which are 2.0 drivers. On this board there are 2 USB 2.0 connections but my mouse and keyboard are in one (Logitech) and my battery backup in the other, all other USB devices are connected to USB 3.0.
I do not understand why my 3.0 externals, attached to 3.0 ports, are using 2.0 drivers even though 3.0 drivers are installed. Has anyone run into this problem? Attached is a screen shot of Device Manager with Disk drives attached and USB Controllers

Berton · 21 Sep 2014

The only thing I missed in the specs is whether USB 3.0 cables are being used, even though USB 2.0 cables can be used. The use of 2.0 cables will limit the transfer speeds and possibly help in misidentifying the drives. [I have both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 WDC drives.] The same happened when technology moved from USB 1.1 [12Mbps] to USB 2.0 devices [up to 480Mbps].

xpac5896 · 21 Sep 2014

USB 3.0 cables are being used and have been used even though the USB ports on my other computer were.2.0. The weird part of the whole thing is that even though I either wake the computer up or start it, Windows will install drivers, every time, and it refuses to recognize the 2TB HD even though it installs the drivers and sees the 1TB. I could live with the 2.0 drivers but why install every time? I would figure that once Windows installs a driver it's there, but not in this case. I had called ASUS and talked to a tech rep about getting a message in the tray saying something to the effect that "This item would run faster if installed on USB 3,0" or something to that effect and he told me that Win 7 doesn't like 3.0. I have no clue if he's right or not as this is my first encounter with anything with 3.0 installed.

siuling337 · 22 Sep 2014

Did you re-install?

mjf · 22 Sep 2014

xpac5896 said:

saying something to the effect that "This item would run faster if installed on USB 3,0" or something to that effect

Sounds like it could be a micro USB3/2 connector problem. I've had this on a couple of WD externals and reconnecting plus fiddling with the cable can get the PC to register a USB3 connection. Not very acceptable though. It has lowered my confidence in any drive using a micro USB3/2 connector.

To clarify for others:
I'm talking about the now common USB 3 Micro-B plug. It has a USB 1/2 Micro-B connector stacked next to a smaller 5 pin plug. If the 5 pin plug isn't registering then the PC sees a USB 2 connection.

xpac5896 · 23 Sep 2014

in reply to siuling377 question, Yes, I uninstalled the 3.0 drivers and re installed without any luck. I neglected at the outset to describe my external enclosures as one has an eSATA port along with the USB 3.0 connection where the other just has the 3.0 connection. Unfortunately the motherboard does not have an eSATA connection so I'm stuck with the USB. At the present time I'm doing some swapping and I'll let you know the outcome

xpac5896 · 25 Sep 2014

oops