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10002
December 30th, 2016 14:00
Add USB 3 to Optiplex 780 SFF?
After having upgraded the RAM I'd really like to bring this older but mostly dependable Dell desktop up to at least the on ramp of speedier performance. From what I've been reading it appears that a PCI card (as opposed to PCIe) is required. They also happen to be more than twice as expensive than the PCIe but that's how it goes sometimes.
Am I correct in this belief? Can it be done in the limited confines of a SFF? Would like to hear from those familiar with who would also care to share their experiences, good or not-so-good, with an upgrade like this.
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ejn63
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December 30th, 2016 15:00
If your PCI slot is open, you can add the USB 3.0 card you want - yes, they're more expensive than a PCI Express card now.
Or, if you don't have a video card in the system now and don't plan to add one, you can install a PCIe 1x card in the 16x video card slot.
coastie_sk
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December 30th, 2016 17:00
According to the specs there *should* be an available PCI slot. I'm fairly certain that the existing video card is in the PCIe x16 slot.
While I'm not a gamer by any stretch and as a result don't have a gamer's demand on a video card, and maybe I'm incorrect about this but I'm presuming that all graphic functions including monitor rely on that installed video card. And if that's the case I'd much rather have the current limited graphic properties than USB 3 ports.
If it's not PCI than it's remove the existing card and slap the USB 3 into the available slot?
ejn63
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December 30th, 2016 18:00
The base system will have integrated graphics (on the CPU). Only if there's a separate video card will the PCIe 16X slot be occupied. There is one 32-bit PCI slot in the system as well.
coastie_sk
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December 31st, 2016 03:00
Firstly, thanks for enlightening me. If I am understanding you correctly, without the installation of a third-party video card, my 780 SFF should currently have not only an available PCIe 16x slot but a 32bit PCI slot available as well?
From those I've been viewing on Newegg, Amazon and eBay, the PCIs are not only pricier but considerably smaller dimension-ally than their PCIe cousins.
If that is, in fact, the case, I could conceivably add the less expensive PCIe USB 3 card to the available slot.
Aside from the physical installation of said card, what other (if any) details should I be aware of, such as BIOS or driver updates?
ejn63
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December 31st, 2016 04:00
Other that that you can't use USB 3.0 devices attached to the card to boot the system, there should not be any issues.
coastie_sk
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December 31st, 2016 09:00
Hmmm. Unless I'm misinterpreting (again), it sounds like what I plan for the USB 3 port (ultimately to replace the spinning hard drive with an SSD) might not be possible. How else would a user be able to swap out an existing HDD with a replacement if one was unable to test the image (or clone?) on the proposed replacement?
Apologies for the many questions.
ejn63
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December 31st, 2016 09:00
Why not just use a SATA SSD in the first place?
You can use USB 3.0 to clone -- but you won't be able to boot the system from anything attached to an add-in USB 3.0 card. There's no support for doing so at the BIOS level.
delcom6
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January 3rd, 2017 01:00
You may also consider SanDisk ReadyCache or Apricorn Vel. Solo II.
speedstep
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January 3rd, 2017 05:00
33mhz 32 bit PCI DOES NOT have the bandwidth for USB3 so while you CAN do this its not fast. You also need a Sata Power Y cable to allow this to use USB3 output as far as power to the ports.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815158361
Totally not worth the effort IMHO.