USB 2.0 External Hard Drive Speed

  • Thread starter Thread starter AFGH
  • Start date Start date
A

AFGH

I just got an external hard drive case and put in a hard drive. I was
copying a 60GB backup file to it. It took about an hour to transfer. I
thought it would go much faster. What is the expected speed that I should
expect?
 
Are you sure that you've got it hooked up at USB 2.0 speeds? Cables,
connector on the computer (as well as the external case) should all be 2.0.
As well as ensuring your system has the USB 2.0 drivers correctly. Seems to
me some OS's didn't support 2.0 natively, and you had to add on the right
drivers.

According to my math, here's the figures based on the theoretical maximums:

USB 1.1
12Mb/s = 1.5MB/s
6,000MB/1.5MB/s = 4000 seconds
4000 seconds = 66.67 minutes

USB 2.0
480Mb/s = 60MB/s
6,000MB/60MB/s = 100 seconds
100 seconds = 1.67 minutes

Seems you're much closer to the 1.1 speeds than the 2.0 speeds. Here's a
review of an external USB 2.0 HD, which averaged 26MB/s transfer:
http://www.tech-mods.net/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewreview&op=newreview&id=61
For 60GB, that would have taken about 4 minutes to copy.

Clint
 
That is why I am confused. My MB is only about 1 year old with Windows XP
SP2 and USB 2.0 drivers.

The properties on the drive say "USB 2.0 Storage Device". The enclosure is
a Vantec NexStar NST-350U2.

I am using the cable that came with the drive. Drive is brand new and 7200
rpm.
 
AFGH said:
That is why I am confused. My MB is only about 1 year old with Windows XP
SP2 and USB 2.0 drivers.

The properties on the drive say "USB 2.0 Storage Device". The enclosure is
a Vantec NexStar NST-350U2.

I am using the cable that came with the drive. Drive is brand new and 7200
rpm.
Click to expand...
Your math is flawed. Obviously 60GB in 4min would be15GB/min

60,000,000,000 GB
26,000,000 / GB/s
--------------------------
2,307.69230769230769 = s

60 / m
--------------------------
38.461538461538462 =minutes

My USB2(HiSpeed) drive kit says up to 35MB/s. So he's in the ball park to my
kits specs. Though not the USB2(HiSpeed) spec itself. 480/60 is correct.
Website for info: usb.org
YMMV
 
You're right. Move the decimal place on all my calcs... 6,000 MB = 6GB
(approximately), not 60.

Clint
 
Following the link you provided with the review, I downloaded the HD Speed
utility and ran it. I am getting about 13 - 14 MB/s. So I know it is
working at 2.0 speeds, but it seems pretty slow for what I should be
getting. I guess I need to follow up with Vantec.
 
Hadn't noticed the D/Ls before going to see if I remembered the specs
correctly. I'll have to check mine when I get on that computer again.
Biggest file I've moved so far is 13GB. IIRC it took 9-10min so I'm a little
slow to but the kit specs do say >up to 35MB/s<.
If your setup is like mine you should check to see if the USB port the drive
is connected to is sharing an IRQ that's already busy. Putting it on a USB
port that's on another IRQ might give better performance. I had to move a
USB1.1 device for that reason.
 
AFGH said:
Following the link you provided with the review, I downloaded the HD Speed
utility and ran it. I am getting about 13 - 14 MB/s. So I know it is
working at 2.0 speeds, but it seems pretty slow for what I should be
getting.
Click to expand...

Not really. You have to remember that the maximum pseed for USB 2.0
assumes nothing else at all is using the PCI bus.
 
Conor said:
Not really. You have to remember that the maximum pseed for USB 2.0
assumes nothing else at all is using the PCI bus.


--
Conor

-You wanted an argument? Oh I'm sorry, but this is abuse. You want room
K5, just along the corridor. Stupid git. (Monty Python)
Click to expand...


Mbps = mega bits per second

MBps = mega bytes per second

Big difference.

Ed Cregger
 
AFGH said:
I just got an external hard drive case and put in a hard drive.
Click to expand...

No True Scotsfellerfallacy. Yew cain't effect an ad hoc change tuh shore up
yore assershun.
I was copying a 60GB backup file to it.
Irrelevant.

It took about an hour to transfer.
Click to expand...

Could yew be mo imprecise?
I thought it would go much faster.
Click to expand...

Whut yew thank is irrelevant.
What is the expected speed that I should expect?
Click to expand...

Good queschun, AFGH. Whut is thuh 'spected speed that yew should 'spect?
 
Hi,

USB 2.0 is very slow - almost 70% slower than FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394) connected
external HDD.

This is bcs USB uses the CPU to process the signal - IEEE1394 is stand alone
technology; this is why it's used in/on DV cameras.

Your USB drive will never work faster than it's current speed. If you want
fast external HDD, you have to get a case that supports FIREWIRE/IEEE1394.

L8R
 
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