How do I know if our USB ports are 2.0?

HUFCsteve

Our Sony Vaio PC is a good few years old. Whilst it has a number of USBs, often when we connect devices to it, it complains that they are not 2.0. Where can I check whether the USB ports are 2.0 (and if not, how difficult are they to fit and how much do they cost)?

Thanks!

Livingthedream

Do this;

• Click on Start - Settings - Control Panel
• Double click on System
• Click on the Hardware tab at the top of the System Properties page
• Click on Device Manager
• Click on Universal serial bus controllers

If it says 'Enhanced' Host controller or words to that effect then you have USB2

If you only have usb1 then you could add this PCMCIA USB2 Hub
http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductID=65698&source=froogle

spud17

Our Sony Vaio PC is a good few years old

Guessing it's XP and a Desktop (or are all Vaio's Laptops), so go to Device Manager, (flying windows key + pause/break, Hardware tab, Device Manager).
Expand the Universal Serial Bus Controllers.
Then look for Enhanced Host Controller.
If no EHC, then no USB 2.0.
I recently upped mine using THIS ,10 minute job to fit in a desktop.

mr_cool

If it is complaing apon connection you pobely dont have them.
Right click on my computer, properties, hardware, device manager, go to to Universal Serial Bus and expand it. If you see enhanced host controller then you have USB 2.0.

You can buy a PCI usb 2.0 card for your pc which are quite cheap and easy to install although I do not know what speed you will get.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/33522

mr_cool

Spud and living dream just bet me to it.

edit: Is it actually a laptop rather than a pc then you need a PCMIA card,

mr_cool

I would be interested myslef to know if a PCI USB 2.0 card would provide good results over the usb 1.1 built in.

HUFCsteve

No enhanced host controller unfortunately. Could a complete non-techie like me fit this?!?

Livingthedream

It sounds like it has no USB2 build in, but before we jump in and say buy this or buy that, can you tell;
1. It is a laptop
2. Sony Vaio Model number ( should be printed on the case somewhere)

mr_cool

HUFCsteve wrote: »

No enhanced host controller unfortunately. Could a complete non-techie like me fit this?!?

Yes. Is it a laptop? If so just slots into PCMIA slot on side, run CD to install driver

If its a PC you need to remove the side cover, insert PCI card, run CD to install driver

Livingthedream

If the Operating system is XP service pack 1 or later then you shouldn't need to install any drivers as XP will do this automatically

HUFCsteve

Thanks all!

It's a Sony Vaio PCV-RX305 running Windows XP (SP3).