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    Simple USB 2 adapter in a Turbo Memory slot?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by bizzybody, Aug 1, 2015.

  1. bizzybody

    bizzybody Notebook Guru

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    Any chance one of these will work in a Turbo Memory slot to plug in a large USB 2.0 drive internally? http://www.ebay.com/itm/331605411356

    What would really be slick is a USB 3.0 card in there, if it would work, and if any of the manufacturers would make one with a low profile, right angle socket for a single port. On my mpc TransPort T2500 (rebranded Samsung X65) there's a USB port on a small PCB at the front of the right side. Replacing it with a USB 3.0 port and tapping the wires to the old port for extra power would be a nice hack. (Would be even nicer if Samsung hadn't still been using CardBus instead of ExpressCard in 2008!)
     
    bizzybody, Aug 1, 2015
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  2. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    bizzybody, will likely work, better check schematics to make sure. IIRC USB3.0 version of this adapter exists, but can't find it on eBay. What notebook are we talking about?
     
    Starlight5, Aug 2, 2015
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  3. bizzybody

    bizzybody Notebook Guru

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    The simple USB 2 adapter just connects to the USB 2 pins in the Mini PCIe slot. USB 3.0 to this must connect to the higher speed PCIe x1 connection and nobody as yet makes a mPCIe USB 3.0 card with a small, low profile connector.

    The laptop is my mpc TransPort T2500, same as a Samsung X65. If I had a spare mPCIe WiFi card I'd pop it into the Turbo Memory slot to see if it works. I know it physically fits, I tested that when I had the laptop apart to replace the broken right front USB port, but did not power it up with the WiFi in the TM slot.

    I've tried to find out if there are any pinout differences for Turbo Memory cards but have yet to find data on them. Here's the mini slot pinout
    http://www.allpinouts.org/index.php/PCI_Express_Card_and_PCI_Express_Mini_Card#PCI_Express_Mini_Card
     
    bizzybody, Aug 2, 2015
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  4. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    bizzybody, your TurboCache slot utilizes mpcie connection a-priori, unless I'm missing something. Anyway, a year or more ago I was looking for the same thing, and it does exist. [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2015
    Starlight5, Aug 2, 2015
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  5. pitz

    pitz Notebook Deity

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    A USB 3.0 interface would not be possible without active electronics (ie: a PCI-E to USB 3 chip) on an old laptop.

    Sierra Wireless advertises that its newest MC7455 4G LTE WWAN radio can utilize USB 3.0 connectivity by way of the miniPCI-E slot in supported machines. likely an artifact of the Qualcomm Gobi chip it uses. But at this point, it seems that the world is moving on to NGFF/M.2 for those parts.

    Any reason why you're trying to concoct this instead of just using a SSD proper? USB storage is terrible performance and reliability-wise.
     
    pitz, Aug 3, 2015
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  6. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    pitz, mPCIe specs includes USB2.0, not 3.0. This card must convert from PCIe to USB3.0, otherwise it is a gimmick with USB2.0 speeds.
     
    Starlight5, Aug 3, 2015
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  7. bizzybody

    bizzybody Notebook Guru

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    Far as I've been able to find, in most cases, using an Intel Turbo Memory slot for something other than an ITM card usually requires hacking the BIOS. If the USB lines are there and active, I figure it may be possible they can be used without hacking the BIOS.

    A Mini PCIe SSD would be nice to plug in there, but better would be a USB 3.0 card - which would require some company to make one designed to fit into thin spaces.
     
    bizzybody, Aug 3, 2015
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  8. Starlight5

    Starlight5 Yes, I'm a cat. What else is there to say, really?

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    bizzybody, there are nano sized USB flash cards, moreover that you can easily make one yourself by purchasing nano microsd card reader and putting your microSD card there. These adapters are currently limited to USB2.0. though.
     
    Starlight5, Aug 3, 2015
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