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    USB 3.0 on my gateway fx p series notebook

    Discussion in 'Gateway and eMachines' started by BetCW907, May 15, 2011.

  1. BetCW907

    BetCW907 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Although this is a question that most laptop users can answer, I own a gateway fx p-7805u. I own a lot of blu ray movies and I would like to store them on my 1tb external hard drive that has USB 3.0 capability. Does anybody know how to set these up? Does my motherboard have to be compatible for these to work or is it just a matter of installing drivers. Thanks.
     
    BetCW907, May 15, 2011
    #1
  2. Syngensmyth

    Syngensmyth In All Seriousness

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    The drive should work fine but will operate at USB 2 speeds. USB 3 is backward compatible. P-7805 does not have USB 3 ability.
     
    Syngensmyth, May 15, 2011
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  3. TreeTops Ranch

    TreeTops Ranch Notebook Deity

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    You do have eSata on your notebook. Try to find a external drive that has eSata. It is supposed to be much better that USB 2 and similar to USB 3.
     
    TreeTops Ranch, May 15, 2011
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  4. TANWare

    TANWare Just This Side of Senile, I think. Super Moderator

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    since the drive is already USB 3.0 you may want to invest in an express card 54 USB 3.0 addapter.................
     
    TANWare, May 15, 2011
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  5. DestruyaX

    DestruyaX Notebook Evangelist

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    There are no EC54 USB3.0 adapters, only EC34.

    Also, even if you use the AC adapter (all of them have the port for it), you won't get full USB 3.0 speed out of the ExpressCard port. It'll still be faster than USB 2.0, but not necessarily earth-shatteringly so.
     
    DestruyaX, May 16, 2011
    #5
  6. TANWare

    TANWare Just This Side of Senile, I think. Super Moderator

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    Hmmmmmmmmm, you will still get up to Sata I speeds or better, fast enough for most people. If you went and purchased a dedicated esata external you are still limited by that port too................
     
    TANWare, May 16, 2011
    #6
  7. DestruyaX

    DestruyaX Notebook Evangelist

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    Yeah. Never heard of that manufacturer.

    I'd stick with the EC34s, most of which come with a 54 bracket to better fit the slot. Not to mention, the NEC/Renesas controllers have driver and firmware updates pretty regularly.

    Speaking practically, though - the SIIG 3.0 controller I've got in my EC port gives me quicker transfers on my USB 2.0 thumbdrive than using the USB 2.0 hub. So if you want more MB/sec it's worth it for that.
     
    DestruyaX, May 18, 2011
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  8. Evil Claw

    Evil Claw Notebook Evangelist

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    Umm, what about these guys?
    LINK
    and Link2
     
    Evil Claw, May 19, 2011
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  9. DestruyaX

    DestruyaX Notebook Evangelist

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    Both of them, yes. And that flush-mount Startech card ain't bad. I might have to replace my SiiG.
     
    DestruyaX, May 20, 2011
    #9
  10. BetCW907

    BetCW907 Notebook Enthusiast

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    Thank you for your input guys. I probably go with the 54 expresscard to usb 3.0 adapter. But now I am wondering whether my motherboard can support more than 1tb of memory. I've read that someone needed to change their bios on his Asus laptop to get it to work. Would you happen to know if our gateway's motherboard can support more than 3TB of external memory? Do we need to change the bios?
     
    BetCW907, May 22, 2011
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  11. nanias

    nanias Notebook Consultant

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    I have 750GB internal and use a 1TB westerndigital external no problem... I supose it supports more tahn 1TB natively...
     
    nanias, May 27, 2011
    #11