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PCIe usb3.0 header card to hook up frontside expansion...

T

TOTAL IDIOT

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 17, 2018
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I'm looking to install some sort of 5.25" expansion in one of the front optical bays of my 2009 5,1. Not sure exactly which front panel expansion I'm going to get, but it'll be one with an sd card reader, usb 3.0 type A ports, and a usb C port. Most that have these also have a few other card slots, audio out/in etc. Here's an example:

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...ont_sd_card_reader-_-9SIAFFK78T9698-_-Product

Every one I've looked at requires bot USB 2.0 (10 pin) and USB 3.0 (20 pin) headers, and a sata connection (see the pic I've attached here of the 3 connectors). I've got a few questions about attaching this.

First, I assume the SATA will be the easy part. There is already 2 satas (the factory cables on cMP running to bay area), one for each bay. Can't tell, it looks like I'll need an male/female switcher to make the connection, but it seems straightforward.

Following that, I must deal with the lack of USB 2.0 and 3.0 headers on the machine. This is really what I have questions about.

Are there any USB 2.0 headers on the 2009 cMP?
If I get a PCIE USB 3.0 expansion card with internal headers, will it work for me to connect to the internal header?

And if there are no usb 2.0 headers on the machine, must I get a PCIe card with a usb 2.0 internal header? Or can I get some adapter and run it off a 3.0 header if I have an extra.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to any input on this. Fairly new to this whole game, feels like I'm on the right track, but I'd love to find out I'm not, and there are easier ways to do things, haha.
 

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Good call, I'll keep that in mind. I was wondering what might happen, as well, if I just left the usb 2.0 unconnected. Would the data just go through another cable? Or, more likely, I'd guess the card readers would cease to function.
THanks
 
Yeah the description says the card reader is USB 2.0, so if you don't connect that cable then it won't work.

I'm really struggling to understand though why on earth they would use a USB 2.0 card reader and then provide USB 3.0 ports right underneath it. High-rez photos and videos are very large and absolutely benefit from a USB 3.0 connection.

So if I were you I would look for something that offers a USB 3.0 card reader. Maybe then it wouldn't even need USB 2.0 ports.

I'm pretty sure there are some MacOS-compatible USB 3 cards that have headers. Check the USB sticky thread up top and maybe some knowledgeable folks will have some specific recommendations.

How are you going to make the entire faceplate accessible? Do you plan to cut the case? :eek:
[doublepost=1531966995][/doublepost]Ooh. I wonder if this one would work in the cMP by just removing the spring-loaded access door? It's all USB3 and cheap too:

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ..._usb_3_card_reader-_-9SIAFFK6PP9301-_-Product

Edit: Oops, that too needs USB 2.0. So odd...
 
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I was wondering the same thing. Most of the units seem to have a faceplate that looked too big. You're right, though, the link you posted looks like it'd fit. The two optical bay openings on the cMP must be smaller (not as high) as normal, as many of the expansion units say they'll fit "any 5.25"" bay, but almost all of them look too big, except for the one you posted. It looks like on some of them I could mount them in a way that would block access to a couple card ports I'd never use. The one you posted looks great, except for the usb 2, as you noted, and the lack of usb C.

I figure that if I found the right unit, I could kill a few birds with one stone, and perhaps even free up a PCIe slot if I got a card reader, usb C, usb 3.0 and all it required was one pci slot for an internal 3.0 header to run off. I'll let you guys know what I figure out eventually. Thanks.
 
So after doing a bit more research, and some measurements, it appears that none of the frontside expansions I've been looking at really fit the optical bay opening on the cMP. All the expansions are 3.5 or 5.25 inches wide, and the openings on the computer are 6.5 inches.

I'm not prepared to do a whole bunch of customization, getting these options internally isn't that important.
Makes me wonder though...does anyone actually put stuff other than HDs in the optical bays? Are there any expansions made to fit 6.5" openings? Or have I gone out on a limb by myself here?

Thanks.
 
TOTAL IDIOT said:
So after doing a bit more research, and some measurements, it appears that none of the frontside expansions I've been looking at really fit the optical bay opening on the cMP. All the expansions are 3.5 or 5.25 inches wide, and the openings on the computer are 6.5 inches.

I'm not prepared to do a whole bunch of customization, getting these options internally isn't that important.
Makes me wonder though...does anyone actually put stuff other than HDs in the optical bays? Are there any expansions made to fit 6.5" openings? Or have I gone out on a limb by myself here?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
You're way out on that limb, dude. I'd just buy a USB 3.0 card + external USB card reader and call it a day.
 
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Don't get me wrong. I'm aware that I can easily install a usb 3.0 and buy a cardreader and call it done.

This isn't about just getting it done though, I've never built any part of any computer before, and I'm doing this for fun. I'm learning lots this way too. It's nice to add things bit by bit to the machine and try to make it exactly what I want.

So I'm still curious...does anyone ever upgrade the optical bays on the cMP to anything other than another hard drive? There doesn't seem to be anything that fits. Hard to believe!
 
Unfortunately, the market for building/customizing Macs is almost non-existent. For better or worse, most Mac users like to keep things looking stock. Most people who are into case mods and want to run MacOS end up doing a Hackintosh.

It's not that someone couldn't make a card reader that was custom-fit to work in the optical bay of the cMP, but there is no header to plug it into so a USB card would have to be added (which would eat up a precious PCIe slot). Also, remember that the Mac Pro is (I would have to guess) the lowest-selling Mac model, and it's been almost five years since they stopped selling the cheese grater in favor of the trashcan.

So even if such a product was made back in the pre-2013 timeframe, it almost certainly would be out-of-production by now since the number of cMPs in active use drops each month.

Aside from a second optical drive or a SATA hard drive, the only other thing I've heard about people mounting in the optical bay is a secondary power supply to power multiple/power-hungry graphics cards. Doesn't mean you can't get a card reader in there if you have enough skills and ingenuity, but you'd be in largely uncharted waters.
 
bookemdano said:
Unfortunately, the market for building/customizing Macs is almost non-existent. For better or worse, most Mac users like to keep things looking stock. Most people who are into case mods and want to run MacOS end up doing a Hackintosh.

It's not that someone couldn't make a card reader that was custom-fit to work in the optical bay of the cMP, but there is no header to plug it into so a USB card would have to be added (which would eat up a precious PCIe slot). Also, remember that the Mac Pro is (I would have to guess) the lowest-selling Mac model, and it's been almost five years since they stopped selling the cheese grater in favor of the trashcan.

So even if such a product was made back in the pre-2013 timeframe, it almost certainly would be out-of-production by now since the number of cMPs in active use drops each month.

Aside from a second optical drive or a SATA hard drive, the only other thing I've heard about people mounting in the optical bay is a secondary power supply to power multiple/power-hungry graphics cards. Doesn't mean you can't get a card reader in there if you have enough skills and ingenuity, but you'd be in largely uncharted waters.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the informative response, perfectly explains what I was hoping to learn. Makes sense.

Here is the 3.0 card I ordered. It has a USB C port as well...not something I often see on cMPs, and an internal header. Finding one that was listed as being compatible with Mac os was the toughest part.

https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produ...usb_3.0_C_pcie_card-_-15-158-428CVF-_-Product

It got me wondering...how hard-and-fast are the listed compatibilities? Is it the type of thing where some windows ones may work with Mac? There are some desirable options that do not list mac os as being compatible, but that do say they support windows and linux.

Now I must figure out what to do with the usb 3.0 header. I may get an adapter so I can attach my m.2 ssd for some internal storage that is faster than my current platter drives.

Thanks for the help.
 
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