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Author Topic: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?  (Read 3108 times)

hulkbuster

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Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« on: June 15, 2022, 10:37 AM »
Hello people, i needed some advice regarding whether my old pc which has a dual core processor.
Which also supports PCI slot, but i am not able to get to install or run USB 3.0 on my pc.
I am on a dual boot. After inserting the Quantum Zero USB 3.0 in the PCI slot the Win xp wont boot to desktop.
I tried to switch to Win 7 from the Boot Manager and still the same issue.
I did mage to use the molex connector from the power fan. But it wont boot to Win7.
So what is the problem, is my pc incompatible or too old to use USB3.0
I attached a small html file : specs about my pc.

Any suggestion welcome.
ClipDiary 5.3/ Smadav 2018/ Some Sense

MilesAhead

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2022, 02:30 PM »
I added a USB 3.0 PCI express card to both an HP with AMD 5200+ dual core with only 2 GB ram, and an HP quad core AMD Phenom with 8 GB ram.  It was a dual port.  I forget the manufacturer but it was a German brand 5 Gbs card.  I had no problems.  Where it does not boot it sounds like there may be an IRQ conflict.  Some other device using the same  one.  Does it have jumpers to set an alternative IRQ?

I put these  cards in around 2010 or 2011 or so.  Plus I no longer have the PCs to look at.  I posted about them on this forum but the posts may have been discarded due to age.

4wd

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2022, 03:59 PM »
I am on a dual boot. After inserting the Quantum Zero USB 3.0 in the PCI slot the Win xp wont boot to desktop.

Are you sure you're using the right terminology?

Unless there's another QZ USB 3.0 internal card, the only QZ USB 3.0 card I find is PCIe.

It won't work in a PCI slot and would most likely stop the computer booting ... and might even damage the card.

Your motherboard has a PCIe x1 and PCIe x16 slot, it should be plugged into one of them.

BGM

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2022, 06:32 PM »
You could always double-sticky-tape an external usb drive reader to the side of the case.  :-[

Shades

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2022, 01:00 AM »
Are you sure that you will get USB 3.0 speeds with such a card in anything less than a 16x PCIe slot? Chances are very high that your dual core processor is stuck on a time-period related motherboard. Which will have support for the PCIe 1.0 standard. That is a serious handicap for getting the maximum speed out of those USB 3.0 ports. And there is another thing to consider, even if your motherboard has enough PCIe "lanes" available, how sure are you if your CPU has support for all of those? And if the CPU has support, what other devices are connected to those lanes?

These are all specifications that the manufacturers of your motherboard and CPU provide on their web-pages.

And even if they can connect initially with USB 3.0 speeds, can the computer/CPU maintain those speeds? Dual core processors are not a good fit in this regard. Such processors are already busy enough with the workload of your processes and whatever the operating system needs to do in the background. If your computer had an quad core CPU in it, I would have much less reservations. You are likely able to connect the card into your computer, but it will behave barely better than USB 2.0. USB devices do negotiate their maximum transmission speeds, so the box of the expansion card may say USB 3.0, in reality you should be happy if your USB devices can manage USB.20 speeds (sustained).

Nothing mean is intended. A computer like yours is still running in my network, but only as a bare metal Linux server without any GUI. In such a setup, computers like yours are still pretty usable for light server duties that can take their time. I use it to create daily incremental and differential backups from 12 other servers and 17 workstations (using Bacula). And for that purpose a machine like yours is still of any use.

For 250 USD you should be able to get a much more modern motherboard (with 2 to 4 actually working USB 3.0 (or better) ports), support for the PCIe 3.0 standard or better, a 10th generation Intel CPU and 8 to 16GByte of DDR4 RAM. Windows 7, but also Windows 10 or Windows 11 will work perfectly fine on such a machine. You can still use your old case, monitor expansion cards, keyboard and mouse, if you so desire. But by changing the innards of your system, you will have actual hardware progress. A more worthy investment of money than an expansion card that may or may not work (well) in your current hardware. Your current computer may still be of use to you, but it is getting old. While the CPU in your machine will manage quite a few more years of service, I'm not so sure about the capacitors on your motherboard. Once those start to "pop", it will be over very quickly.

A mid-range (or better) motherboard pretty easily lasts 5 to 10 years without risks, if it was always connected to a high quality power supply, was never overclocked, always in a good power grid and periodically cleaned properly (dust, hair, lint, etc). Use it longer and you are essentially are starting to gamble with your data.
 

MilesAhead

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2022, 10:03 AM »
All I can find for specs is the Windows 7 forum hardware profile.  The USB 3.0 card and docking stations were SIIG.  Here's the specs from my profile if it helps any:


System Spec
Computer Manufacturer/Model Number:
HP Media Center
OS:
Windows 7 32 bit
CPU:
AMD 5200+ dual core
Memory:
2 GB
Graphics Card(s):
NVidia GeForce 6150SE 128 MB
Monitor(s) Displays:
CRT
Screen Resolution:
1280x1024
Hard Drives:
500 GB Sata internal :

SIIG USB 3.0 docking stations w/WD Caviar Black 6 Gb/s drives
Keyboard:
PS/2
Mouse:
PS/2 Wheel Mouse
Other Info:
SIIG USB 3.0 PCIexpress card (2 ports.)

hulkbuster

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2022, 04:14 AM »
Thank you guys, for the past few days i was out of station on a personal work and i had to catch my flight (it was my first flight) so i couldn't reply promptly.
But now that i am back i read through every suggestion. Honestly thank you for ur time but i think i agree with MilesAhead.
These are all specifications that the manufacturers of your motherboard and CPU provide on their web-pages.
The motherboard website doesn't mention anything about supporting USB 3.0
and i also agree dual processor can support USB 3.0 but it also needs to be mentioned in the motherboard's website.
Which i couldn't find. I also saw there was only 1 person who bothered to download the info. on my motherboard.
So i'll take the cue and understand it doesn't support USB 3.0
Since i have already tried 100 times to install the card.

But it wouldn't boot to XP or 7 desktop on a dual boot.
ClipDiary 5.3/ Smadav 2018/ Some Sense

Shades

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2022, 11:49 AM »
But it wouldn't boot to XP or 7 desktop on a dual boot.

Somewhere in your hardware specification report I saw that there was only support for the PCIe 1.0 standard. I suspect that your USB 3.0 card is a card that needs PCIe 2.0 (or better).

Before the operating system is started on any computer, there is another (much more basic) system that checks if all the hardware in your computer is registered properly and responds as this system expects it to. Putting more/extra hardware in a computer, which is not registered or tested properly, (in the best case scenario)  will slow down your computer before and possibly after the operating system has started. But, more often than not, the extra hardware prevents that basic system to complete all checks and test and your computer won't boot into anything.

Worst case, you actually fry your motherboard, the extra hardware or both.

From your post I understand that the extra hardware simply blocks that basic system to do its checks and that you stops it from booting any of the operating systems. So, try to flip the USB card to recuperate some of the costs and put that money towards buying a new motherboard, CPU and RAM. You can keep the rest of your hardware...although I would spend also money on a new and proper power supply (Corsair, EVGA, Silverstone are brands that have very decent power supplies). Doesn't have to be a 'heavy duty'-one, if you do not have lots of hard drives or discrete video card.

AMD and Intel provide CPU's which have a video card built into them and those will "steal" from the system memory to provide you with video. Older generations of such CPU's are fine for most intents and purposes, except for gaming, CAD and video editing. However, AMD appears to be making headway with that type of CPU in their latest generation that will come out this year and you will be able to play modern AAA game titles at a reasonable resolution in medium settings, not the lowest resolution in low settings as is currently the case.

MilesAhead

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Re: Can i install USB 3.0 on a Dual Core PC?
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2022, 12:03 PM »
After inserting the Quantum Zero USB 3.0 in the PCI slot the Win xp wont boot to desktop.

I suspect Shades is right.  One thing you might try if the card is current generation, the manufacturer might have a community forum.  If so it might be worth asking there if there are any updated drivers or settings/tricks that will allow it to work.  At least they may have a detailed list of required hardware for it.

Edit:  Also it may be worth running Speccy to get your hardware details.