USB 3 confusion

daninthemix · 4 Oct 2011 at 19:30

Could someone please answer me this simple question:

I have a USB 3 external hard disk with a MicroAB connector. If I plug a USB micro cable into it, and into a standard USB 2 port on a PC, should the hard disk work?

So in other words, a USB micro cable plugged in to only the micro connector part in this image:

BaPXZ4QXinIpAdVcCvdQBfU7QLdXX21KN1AiyEJvs6pUq4VDKM-01VBsen5uAtR0Dc0OGmZWe7oz5_MzWWo7KzrHg5p5fESwdudWd1TPac1Oh6XlKG5X5m6_0qv235Y4_aFxSqZZxKf9xG5jpHzfx4D3P_H-FX7ojygSh8J6i9A

Frankly it will be a miracle if anyone understands my gibbering, but I post in hope....

Surveyor · 4 Oct 2011 at 19:38

Just use the USB 3.0 cable which came with the drive.

If you plug that into a USB 2.0 port it'll work but just at USB 2.0 speeds.

daninthemix · 4 Oct 2011 at 19:58

I dont have ther USB3 cable - I need to know whether theoretically a USB 2.0 Micro cable should work?

Because when I use that cable to plug in, the disk shows up in disk management but I can't do anything with it and it seems to hang disk management, and on a Mac it stopped showing up altogether even with the right cable.

To clarify: I no longer have access to the right cable, but am concerned about RMAing the disk and finding it actually ok.

Surveyor · 4 Oct 2011 at 20:22

Part of the USB 3.0 Micro connector is the same as a USB 2.0 Micro connector, with the other part being the additional USB 3.0 connections, so in theory it might work.

At the moment I don't have a USB 2.0 Micro cable to test the theory.

If no one has given you a concrete answer I can get a cable and try it tomorrow night.

Edit

I might have to take that back.

The cables I can get are probably Mini and not Micro.

I'll have a look though.

daninthemix · 4 Oct 2011 at 21:23

Well if you can it would help. At the moment I don't know if the disk is faulty, or if it isn't working because of my cable.

Surveyor · 6 Oct 2011 at 01:24

daninthemix said:
Well if you can it would help. At the moment I don't know if the disk is faulty, or if it isn't working because of my cable.

Sorry, I've had a look but don't have a Micro USB cable anywhere

bremen1874 · 6 Oct 2011 at 01:53

I've got a USB 3.0 WD My Passport drive here that uses the micro connector.

I just tried it with a USB 2.0 micro connector cable (from a Nokia phone) and the drive spins up and is recognised by Win 7. I can’t actually test it any further because it’s configured as a Server 2008 backup drive and I can’t be bothered to mess with the permissions.

daninthemix · 6 Oct 2011 at 07:48

Thanks for that, but mine was recognised too - I just couldn't do anything with it (partition it etc) - literally all the options in Disk Management were greyed out. Have decided to send back to WD anyway and cross my fingers...