Identifying version of USB device - How to?

[Richard]

Hi,

In running WinXP-Pro/SP2 on a Pentium 4 machine. I just copied a 200MB
Ruby installation to a 1GB Sony Microvault ISM1GJ with compression. I
think it took more than 10 hours. Hopefully the reason it took so long
was because my USB port is ver. 1.0.

I visited the Microsoft Device Manager, but couldn't find any
indication as to the level of my USB interface.

1. How can I tell if I have USB 1.0 or 2.0? (The port is built into
the motherboard and I've lost the board's documentation.)

2. Assuming I have ver. 1.0, what kind of performance improvement
should I expect if I install a 2.0 interface card?

TIA,
Richard

 

[JS]

Open Device Manager and expand the Universal Serial Bus section.
There should be an "Enhanced" USB host controller listed, this indicates USB
2.0
If there is not then you have USB 1.0

JS

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Richard

This freeware programme is excellent for getting information
about your computer:
Everest Home Edition (freeware)
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4181.html

Tip: To copy select Report, Quick Report, Plain Text, highlight
required text, right click and select copy. However, whilst this
is fine for posting small amounts of information into newsgroup
messages longer reports will irritate other newsgroup
subscribers.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Richard]

Hi JS and Gerry,

Thanks to both of you for your helpful responses.

JS: No sign of "2.0" in Device Manager. That seem to confirm what I
expected: I've got a ver. 1.0 universal serial bus.

Do you happen to know offhand the performance difference between these
two versions?

Gerry: Everest is a good-looking tool. I'm glad to know about it,
and it also didn't see any 2.0 USB device on my system.

Again, thanks to both of you for responding.

Regards,
Richard

 

[JS]

USB Specs.
http://www.crucial.com/library/understanding_usb.asp

JS

 

[Richard]

Thanks for the reference.

I just purchased a USB 2.0 PCI card. I haven't installed it yet, but
I'm anxious to see how much it speeds up the transfer of large files to
my external memory "stick".

Regards,
Richard

 

[JS]

Your Welcome.
Since the PCI bus is faster than any USB device, the PCI bus should in no
way have any impact on the USB controller on the PCI card. Therefore I would
expect that you should see the full level of performance from your memory
stick.

JS

 

[Richard]

The card I got is a Belkin 3-port (2 external, 1 internal) which
purports to be 10% faster than the USB 2.0 standard. I'll try it out
over the weekend.

 

[JS]

Same card that I have although it's currently not installed. Read
instructions carefully.

JS

 

[Richard]

Same card that I have although it's currently not installed.
Aha! Procrastinating like me! I'm working on the basics of test
suites for Ruby apps. I'll bet you have a better excuse.

Read instructions carefully.

Will do! Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[JS]

Ruby on Rails?

No, the PC for which the card was purchased for went up in smoke!

JS

 

[Richard]

Ruby on Rails?

I just realized you posed a question in that one-liner. Yes, I'm
ultimately aiming at ROR apps, but I see so many esoteric constructs
that I've backed off to expand my Ruby skill. It was pretty
amateurish, but I coming up to speed.

I still have my USB 2.0 card sitting on the shelf. Maybe this weekend
....

Regards,
Richard