External Hard Drives On Hub

[rwinegar]

I am getting a new computer that has fewer USB ports than my previous computer. As such I will be forced to use a USB hub. Will the performance of my external hard drives be affected if I connect them to a hub? I am worried that they might be slowed down. I rarely have more than one turned on at time.

Will there be any problems with a program like Acronis True Image detecting the external drives through the hub? Would the hub slow the cloning process using such a program?

[Sterling_Aug]

If you get a good USB hub they will be fine. I would get an internal USB expansipn card. The one I have gives me 6 more USB ports (4 in back and two on the front of the case).

[BipolarBill]

You didn't say if its a laptop or desktop. Desktops typically have unused internal USB headers which can add ports to the front or rear of the box.

Sterling has a point. If you have spare PCI slots, you can add a card (preferably NEC) for more ports. They are much better than hubs. Many USB hard drives have problems with hubs.

[rwinegar]

It's a desktop - Dell XPS 630. I have some experience with installing USB PCI cards. It has not all been good. I've had driver problems in past. If I install card w/out installing proprietary drivers I get event viewer errors at start up. That's why I considered an external hub.

[Sterling_Aug]

Why on Earth would you install any card without the drivers that are supplied on a CD/floppy for that specific card to work?

That does not make any sense.

[rwinegar]

There should be no need to install additional drivers for USB 2.0 PCI card. The drivers are included in Win XP SP2.

[Sterling_Aug]

I think you proved otherwise.

[BipolarBill]

Like I said, get an NEC-based card and use the standard Windows drivers. Cards with ALi chipsets really stink.

If you have any trouble with a drive on the PCI card, use the card for other things and plug the drive into a native port.