Question 1

I have a Lenovo very small footprint PC. It i5 CPU running W7 Ultimate. Because it's so small it has One Expansion slot.
Slot Description:  Low Profile 32 bit PCI 2.3
Will this card work, and would it be fast enough to handle USB 3.0?

Accepted Answer

I have used this card in a very similar machine, a Dell Optiplex 380.  Any USB 3.0 device attached to it with a USB 3.0 cable should run 2X faster than USB 2.0.  If you attach a USB 2.0 device or run a USB 3.0 device with a USB 2.0 cable then you will only get USB 2.0 speeds.

FYI, PCI Express versions of this and similar cards generally perform 3x times faster that USB 2.0.

This is a very good card that has never given me any trouble with Win 7.  Previously I used it with Win XP.  However, if your Lenovo is anything like Dell small form factor PC's then you may need a power extension cable.  The DELL SFF PC's power cables are too short to reach the card expansion slots without extenders.

Question 2

How to power the card in a Dell Poweredge 2850 ?

Accepted Answer

If you are using the USB 3 board, that means you probably have an older machine that has USB 2 or no usb.  Working in an older motherboard is spotty at best.  You need to provide power from a sata cable.  I had an older ASUS motherboard, but I had a lot of problems with this USB board.  Not recommended.

Question 3

Does this card come in half-height size, or have a replaceable bracket? I am looking for a half height USB 3.0 PCI (not PCI-e) card.
Thanks,
-Jock

Accepted Answer

Yes, it has both sizes. The card comes with a full size bracket installed, and a half height bracket in the box. I installed the first one I bought with the short bracket, and I actually had an unopened box on my desk, which I checked just now before answering.

Question 4

Will This Card Work In An Older Desktop Computer That Has Only PCI Slots. Computer Is Running Windows 7 Ultra 32 Bit Operating System. Are There Windows 7 32 Bit Hardware Drivers Available For This Card ???

Thank You

Accepted Answer

Yes. I have it in a machine with an Intel D946GZIS motherboard. There are Windows 7 drivers. I can't remember if they were included on a disc with the item or whether I had to download them. Good luck.

Question 5

WILL THIS CARD WORK IN A REGULAR PCI SLOT FOR USB 3.O IN A WIN 7.0 64 BIT MACHINE??

Accepted Answer

I have only used this card in a 32-bit Windows XP PC.  However, StarTech does have 64-bit Windows 7 drivers available for it on their website's support page.

I have used the PCI Express version of this card in a Win7 64-bit PC.  If you have a spare PCI Express slot I would go that route.  The PCI Express version gives 3x the performance of USB 2.0 for supported devices.  The PCI version only gives 2x performance due to being limited by the older PCI bus.

Question 6

Will this card be compatible with Windows MR systems that require USB 3.0 like the Dell Visor? This is basically a deal breaker for me.

Accepted Answer

I would say yes, although I do not own one, would like to use one except the specs for the Video Card are like 8Gb of memory! My answer to is it USB3 is yes, as I have used it for that.

Question 7

Has anyone used this to connect a Kinect v2 for Windows?  I am wondering if the data transfer speed of the PCI bus will keep up with the Kinect v2.

Accepted Answer

I have installed this card on 4 IBM 8189, M50, computers. None of the 4 cards work. Startech technical service has not been able to help me yet. However, I'm not going to give up. Sorry I can't help. Call Startech.

Question 8

Does it work with Linux?

Accepted Answer

I bought 4 of these to upgrade my 8189-46U desktop PCs. It is not compatible with my motherboards. A professional service tech confirmed this. Startech customer service tried to be helpful by telling me to eliminate programs I use all the time, but that would not have worked anyway. My suggestion is: Try one. If it does not work, NewEgg will refund your money. You have 30 days. That is the Law when purchasing goods through the mail. Hope this helps.

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