Summary: USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 is a significantly faster version of USB 1.1. Determining which you have is not at all obvious. But it is fairly easy.
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I'm thinking of purchasing a USB device, but it requires USB 2.0. I can't find anywhere on my machine that tells me whether or not I have this. How can I tell if I have USB 2.0? |
USB (for Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 is a significantly faster version of USB 1.1. Some devices can be quite speed intensive, and hence manufacturers are starting to require the faster connection. Most new machines come with USB 2.0 already built in. But what about an older machine? How do you tell?
It's easy, just not at all obvious.
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The tidbit of information you're looking for is buried in the device manager:
At this point you should see something like this:
Note the highlighted line: "Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller". While the exact text may vary, the key is the word "Enhanced".
If it's "Enhanced", it's USB 2.0. If it's not, then it's USB 1.x.
Now, wasn't that obvious?
Important: on most machines the presence of "Enhanced", even only once (which it typically is), means that all USB ports are USB 2.0 ports. Typically a machine will have only one type of port and this tells you which kind they all are.
The one exception to this scenario is a machine with USB 1.1 ports that has a USB 2.0 expansion card added. In this case I know of no way to tell which is which, other than simply knowing you added a USB 2.0 card to a machine with built-in 1.1 ports. Obviously in a case like this, the built-in ports are 1.1, and the added expansion card ports are 2.0.
Related:
How do I install my new USB device? Some USB devices simply require you to plug it in to use them, but reviewing documentation that came with the device before you do is important.
Why is my USB device asking for a CD when I attach it? We'll look at some ideas to try to stop a USB device from asking for a CD.
Can I copy files between two computers using a USB connections? There are a few ways that you can copy files between two computers using a USB connection.
Article C2405 - August 17, 2005
You can check to see if your USB device is plugged into a usb1.1 or usb2.0 port in the following way:
In Device Manager, click View/Devices By Connection. Expand 'PCI Bus' - you should see your USB controllers listed. Locate your plugged-in one of the subfolders of the controller. If its parent is an "Enhanced" controller, it's operating at USB2.0 - otherwise 1.1
Locate your device in the tree, paying attention as to whether it's under an "Enhanced" controller or Standard.
Posted by: Jim at July 26, 2008 12:50 PMI believe there are instances in which new computers have both; the 2.0 are on the main part of the PC, but the additional ones -- on keyboards, monitors -- are 1.1. I think this is true of Apples, too; the back of the monitor is fine but anything on the front (ie, keyboard) is not.
Posted by: a m andrews at July 28, 2008 11:45 AMThank you Leo for the info. I have a machine my buddy built for me and I see in the Device Manager that there are no ports that say "Enhanced PCI to USB Controller" but I do have an additional Serial Bus Controller that says "USB 2.0 Root Hub Device" but I cannot locate the actual physical port. Is there any way to find out without doing the plug and pray method?
Thanks,
Posted by: CJ at August 21, 2008 4:29 PMCJ
I have a computer with 8 physical USB ports.
Posted by: Adrian at August 27, 2008 8:18 AMIn the device manager I can see 4 standard host controllers and 2 enhanced host controllers, but neither of the two enhanced ones are connected to one of the 8 physical USB ports. They are all internal.
So, even if you have an enhanced host controller, it does not mean you have a USB 2.0 port on your computer. It just means your computer is capable of having a USB 2.0 port, unfortunately.
And regarding the driver, it has to be 5.1.2600 or later.
Hi Leo
Everytime I insert a USB device it tell me "this device can perform faster" I checked to see if I am USB 2.0 enabled. The thing is that I appear to have two USB contollers when I checked the Device Manager. Shouldn't I only have one. I have 3 usb ports on my laptop.
It looks like this:
-Universal Serial Bus controllers
--Intel(R)82801FB/FBM USB Uni.Host Controller-2658
--Intel(R)82801FB/FBM USB Uni.Host Controller-2659
--Intel(R)82801FB/FBM USB Uni.Host Controller-265A
--Intel(R)82801FB/FBM USB Uni.Host Controller-265b
--USB Root Hub
--USB Root Hub
--USB Root Hub
--USB Root Hub
-Universal Serial Bus controllers
--PCI Class USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Contoller
--USB 2.0 Root Hub Device
Thanks for your help
Posted by: Gysie Verwey at September 5, 2008 7:42 AMCame across your site when trying to solve a usb problem with an old server. If it is of intrest, it does indeed have two different speeds, 1.0 at the front and 2.0 at the back. Not common though!
Posted by: rscc at September 15, 2008 10:22 AMNEC Express5800/140Re-4
http://www.nec.co.jp/express/press/pr060807.html
Hi all. I do not believe the introductory information from the site host, Leo Notenboom, in his introduction is correct: "... on most machines the presence of 'Enhanced', even only once, means that all USB ports are USB 2.0 ports ..."
I just bought a new Dell workstation a month ago and there are eight USB ports and it seems the two in front and two of the six in back of the box are USB 2.0 while the remainder are 1.1. (I see the "this device can perform faster.." message when plugging into the slower ports in the rear with commensurately slower speeds and the absence of the message with commensurately faster speeds when plugging into the two faster ports in the rear or the two in the front.)
I made no special requests to Dell regarding the configuration of the workstation and in fact there was no discussion of the USB ports at all, it's just a standard workstation--though I did order extra RAM and HDD space and a faster CPU.
So I believe even considering the qualifier, "... on most machines...", it is still incorrect. Note also another poster's observation (Adrian at August 27, 2008 8:18 AM) which seems to mirror mine.
Or, was I shortchanged? Or am I doing something else incorrectly? (I wish all eight were indeed 2.0.)
I would like to hear from the site host Leo here by way of a post if he thinks this is the case, but it seems he does not follow up.
Finally, Leo's information seems incomplete: "In this case [in which there are both 2.0 and 1.1 ports] I know of no way to tell which is which..."
Poster Jim (Jim at July 26, 2008 12:50 PM), above, has given one solution: "You can check to see if your USB device is plugged into a usb1.1 or usb2.0 port in the following way:..."
In sum, the information from Leo Notenboom regarding discrimination between USB 2.0 and 1.1 seems not particularly well-researched or thought out.
Posted by: Felicity J. at October 8, 2008 11:20 PMThis is just an added information regarding the said issue. I have a 2 usb flash memory when I will insert the flash memory it will prompt me "this device can perform faster" but when I connect also the other (flash memory) on the same port it will not prompt "this device can perform faster" Maybe one of the cause of this issue is the usb flash memory that you are inserting.
Posted by: ordinary at December 12, 2008 10:07 PMi do not have usb 2.0 can i update it with software and thats it
29-May-2009
when i plug usb device into my pc always appear update driver wizard why?
Posted by: jun at June 29, 2009 10:19 PMthanks............