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.
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?
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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:
- Right-click My Computer
- Click on Properties
- Click on the Hardware tab
- Click on the Device Manager button
- Scroll down as needed until you see Universal Serial Bus Controllers
- Expand that by clicking on the boxed plus sign in front of Universal Serial Bus Controllers
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.
Article C2405 - August 17, 2005
A little off topic but I was wondering if there is a difference between the front and rear usb ports?
Posted by: Jeff at February 10, 2010 5:27 AMI've checked like you describe it and have enhanced so USB2.0.
Posted by: Anatole at March 4, 2010 10:12 AMBut when I apply an WiFi antenna (capable of 300Mbps) on the USB port and do a file transfer the rate is 12Mbps equal to the max of USB1.1.
USB2.0 is capable of 480Mbps! So I don't understand. Please advice. Thanks in Advance
The question is NOT if I have 2.0. It tells me that ad nauseum. GREAT! I have 2.0. The real question. The hard question is which ports are 2.0?!?!?!! How do you find them? Just plugging something into each port doesn't do it. And that alone is a lot of work. The computer is under a desk with lots of cables so it doesn't move easily. When you plug something in that might benefit from 2.0 and wait for the message "This could run faster yada yada yada...." If it doesn't show is that proof? I am not sure.
So what is the fastest easiest way to tell which ports are USB 2.0?
Martin C Nation MD
05-Mar-2010
Posted by: Martin Nation MD at March 4, 2010 12:24 PM
How do I test whether my USB thumbdrive is USB 2.0?
Posted by: andrew at March 8, 2010 3:46 PMSo what if in my device manager it has enhanced usb controller listed twice?? does in mean that all ports (4) are 2.0 or just two, because i used one with a usb device with no problem and then after awhile i had pop ups say the device could perform faster if i pluged it in to the high speed port but i am pretty sure that all ports would be 2.0 my laptop is a toshiba satellite p300-161
Posted by: ken at March 10, 2010 2:41 PM