USB Compatibility

Hello All:

Not quite sure where to put this, so I'll start here.

My current computer has USB 1.1. If I purchased a USB external HDD which today would be USB 2.0, I'm sure, would the USB 2.0 HDD be campatible/work with the USB 1.1 on my computer?

Thanks in advance
rjshenal

no, a usb 2.0 device needs a usb 2.0 compatible port. USB 2.0 ports however, will work with older 1.1 devices.

There are external drives that support both 1.1 and 2.0 USB. You just have to look at the specs.

USB 2.0 devices are backwards compatible with USB 1.1. It will run a greatly reducded speed though.

So, yes... Your external 2.0 drive will work and will work fine on an older computer. It will just be slow.

Just buy an internal PCI-card with USB2 from e.g. Belkin.
Attach that HD to it and you have a new uncle (Bob)

Thanks for all the info...really appreciate it,
If I get a USB2 card and install it, what happens to the old USB 1.1 that is already installed? I have my printer connected to the USB 1.1, will it still work?

Thanks

rjshenal

It will work fine (in theory anyway)

Yes your USB 1.1 controller which is on your motherboard will still function as it always has, whilst the PCI USB 2.0 controller card will operate independantly through the PCI bus.