USB 3.x PCIe Cards for Classic Mac Pro

[Macsonic]

In practice USB3 takes a bit of a hit, not quite saturating SATA-II speeds in write but exceeding them in read, 260MB/s and 340MB/s respectively with my 240GB Envoy Pro EX SSD. And it is stable, I think at the end of the day, I can handle the speeds in exchange for that and the fact it is only taking up one PCIe slot.

I also think it is a bit unfair to expect this card in my MacPro to equal the performance of the Envoy via the new 13" Retina's USB3 port feeding a 1,000 MB's 1TB PCIe SSD, that damn thing blasted a 202GB folder of RAW files across at an average of 520MB/s, peaking at 550MB/s...that's just nuts for a bus powered USB3 device!

So for now I am staying put. I definitely value all the input, hopefully someone will value mine on this comprehensive thread.

Hi Macshroomer. I am using the FASTA 6G USB3.0-eSATA combo and so far works fine . I know the card is not the best brand and does not yield maximum speed but I am happy and satisfied. As long as it's faster than Firewire 800 that's acceptable. Though I have tried the FASTA USB3-eSata together with another PCIe card so I could not comment on that.

 

[hfg]

I just ran a test using the Caldigit FASTA-6GU3 card interfaced with USB 3-0 to a OWC Mercury Elite Pro Qx2 RAID-5 box with 4 Seagate 3TB disks.

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/RAID/Desktop/


I thought the transfer speeds were pretty good for RAID-5 hard disks, especially considering the revealed capping of speed due to the Caldigit controller chip, but would there be any improvement if using the HighPoint RocketU 1144CM?

Here are the results (4GB test size):

-howard

.

 

[crjackson2134]

The old one work but the new card doesn't
I trying it on both macs with no luck was trying to get 4 ports out of it
any help will be good

You still didn't answer my questions, it's a little hard to help when you don't provide requested information. Also, if the "OLD ONE WORKED", why are you replacing it? Answer the questions please if you want help.

Originally Posted by crjackson2134

What year is your MP and what OSX version are you using? What slot are you using?

What devices did you plug in. It only works with drives mostly. It's a raid controller.

READ POST #389 carefully

I'm a little confused since you said (POST# 357)

And now you are looking for one that works? .

 

[ActionableMango]

Mango, are you having that problem as well? I ordered the same card you have but it hasn't arrived yet. I have no such issue at all with the RocketU, and now I'm wondering if I should leave well-enough alone.

I have an updated answer to this question.

Last night I purposely left a USB 3.0 bus-powered drive connected and put the MP to sleep, waited a few seconds, and woke it up again. I got a warning box about removing the media without ejecting it first. However, I did not have to physically disconnect and reconnect the drive as others have stated; the drive was still mounted.

This is how I remember the behavior even prior to 10.8.5.

 

[hfg]

I have an updated answer to this question.

Last night I purposely left a USB 3.0 bus-powered drive connected and put the MP to sleep, waited a few seconds, and woke it up again. I got a warning box about removing the media without ejecting it first. However, I did not have to physically disconnect and reconnect the drive as others have stated; the drive was still mounted.

This is how I remember the behavior even prior to 10.8.5.

My Caldigit FASTA-6GU3 card gives the sleep warning box (removed media without ejecting) with both USB-3 or eSATA drives connected. However, they seem to automatically reconnect on their own within 30 seconds or so and I have not noticed any data corruption thus far.

FWIW...
-howard

 

[crjackson2134]

I have an updated answer to this question.

Last night I purposely left a USB 3.0 bus-powered drive connected and put the MP to sleep, waited a few seconds, and woke it up again. I got a warning box about removing the media without ejecting it first. However, I did not have to physically disconnect and reconnect the drive as others have stated; the drive was still mounted.

This is how I remember the behavior even prior to 10.8.5.

Cool, thanks. Mine still hasn't arrived from Amazon. I'm going to test it in my last open slot (conflicts with the RocketU are anticipated, I just want to see if it will work). If there are no conflicts, I'll have the best of both worlds. If there is a conflict, I'll keep it as a backup solution should the need arise. Hell, it's only $15, what have I got to lose?

----------

My Caldigit FASTA-6GU3 card gives the sleep warning box (removed media without ejecting) with both USB-3 or eSATA drives connected. However, they seem to automatically reconnect on their own within 30 seconds or so and I have not noticed any data corruption thus far.

FWIW...
-howard

It sounds a LITTLE annoying but fairly harmless. I wouldn't deprive myself of USB 3.0 goodness from such a small error on any card. As long as data remains intact, I see no tangible issue.

 

[MattDSLR]

You still didn't answer my questions, it's a little hard to help when you don't provide requested information. Also, if the "OLD ONE WORKED", why are you replacing it? Answer the questions please if you want help.

Its my new MAC Pro 12 core 2.66 computer is about a year old
I'm trying to add 4 usb 3.0 to have two drives plug in and USB 3.0 Compact flash card reader
my drives work fine but card reader only work on my older computers that I have 2 port caldigit in them I need something with 4 ports
Hope this explains
I run maverick
and try slot 2 and 3
slot one is used by video card and 4 by apple raid card

 

[costabunny]

I still haven't managed to find anything my Inateck 4-port won't do (couple of USB3 Drives in the back and a Desktop SATA cradle with a USB stick). It also drove a 3 -port bus only USB3 hub without causing any issues.

my five pence worth if you are looking for a replacement card that is.

 

[crjackson2134]

Its my new MAC Pro 12 core 2.66 computer is about a year old
I'm trying to add 4 usb 3.0 to have two drives plug in and USB 3.0 Compact flash card reader
my drives work fine but card reader only work on my older computers that I have 2 port caldigit in them I need something with 4 ports
Hope this explains
I run maverick
and try slot 2 and 3
slot one is used by video card and 4 by apple raid card

Okay, it would seem your machine is a 5,1 model. The RocketU 1144CM is the correct RocketU card for that model, but as I explained in an earlier post - IT'S A RAID CONTROLLER WITH A USB 3.O INTERFACE -

It's made for drives ONLY. SOME card readers will work hit/miss. It will work with USB sticks.

Hope this explains...

This is NOT the card for your application. Have a look at costabunny's 4P setup, or ActionableMango's 2P setup and use a powered HUB. This will give you 4 ports, but you will need to pull power from somewhere to supplement.

 

[MattDSLR]

Okay, it would seem your machine is a 5,1 model. The RocketU 1144CM is the correct RocketU card for that model, but as I explained in an earlier post - IT'S A RAID CONTROLLER WITH A USB 3.O INTERFACE -

It's made for drives ONLY. SOME card readers will work hit/miss. It will work with USB sticks.

Hope this explains...

This is NOT the card for your application. Have a look at costabunny's 4P setup, or ActionableMango's 2P setup and use a powered HUB. This will give you 4 ports, but you will need to pull power from somewhere to supplement.

Thank you
I will send them a PM
since I already have an raid card in my MAC i will look for the best cards that reads USB 3.0 card readers

 

[monokakata]

I have a Lexar USB3 card reader attached to the 1144CM in my 5,1. It always requires unplugging and replugging before it will mount.

But it always does mount, and it's very fast.

I had nothing but bad experiences with the CalDigit USB3 (only) card. Panics. They did nothing about it. I tossed it in a drawer and every so often I look to see if they have new drivers out. When they do, I'll try it again.

 

[MattDSLR]

I have a Lexar USB3 card reader attached to the 1144CM in my 5,1. It always requires unplugging and replugging before it will mount.

But it always does mount, and it's very fast.

I had nothing but bad experiences with the CalDigit USB3 (only) card. Panics. They did nothing about it. I tossed it in a drawer and every so often I look to see if they have new drivers out. When they do, I'll try it again.

Same card reader same card and I have an issue
this drives me crazy

 

[Celedral]

I must be one of the unlucky ones with the Orico USB 3.0 card. Tough time getting it to fit perfectly with the mounting plate. I had to bend both sides of the metal plate to get it close to fitting. I still can't put the plate with the two screws back to secure it.

 

[pastrychef]

I must be one of the unlucky ones with the Orico USB 3.0 card. Tough time getting it to fit perfectly with the mounting plate. I had to bend both sides of the metal plate to get it close to fitting. I still can't put the plate with the two screws back to secure it.

I have found that the 2 port Orico card fits better than the 4 port.

 

[nigelbb]

Running some BS cable system to power a card is NOT going to work!

On the contrary it works perfectly. I have one Mac Pro 3,1 with an ORICO 4-port card & another Mac Pro 3,1 with a Inateck 4-port card. The cards have a power cable run from a spare outlet for asecond optical drive. All works as advertised.

By refusing to run a power cable you would be cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

[costabunny]

Running some BS cable system to power a card is NOT going to work!

I have to disagree - I ran a 'bs' cable - took about 10 mins all in, and powers two bus HDD,s a self powered HDD, and a second bus powered hub daisy chained with no issues.

 

[Macshroomer]

So you are all saying that you can have all 6 SATA connections taken up by devices *and* run a power cord to the USB3 card in the PCIe slot?

Is this some form of splice then? Because like I have said a million times, all my SATA connections are occupied by 5 internal drives and my internal DVD burner.

 

[costabunny]

So you are all saying that you can have all 6 SATA connections taken up by devices *and* run a power cord to the USB3 card in the PCIe slot?

Is this some form of splice then? Because like I have said a million times, all my SATA connections are occupied by 5 internal drives and my internal DVD burner.

yep I have a power splitter (I have the Windows SSD in the lower optical bay and split to the USB3 Card).

The card I have came with a loom for this very purpose, I made my own purely for asthetics.

Edit - Added some pics for you

 

[ActionableMango]

So you are all saying that you can have all 6 SATA connections taken up by devices *and* run a power cord to the USB3 card in the PCIe slot?

Is this some form of splice then? Because like I have said a million times, all my SATA connections are occupied by 5 internal drives and my internal DVD burner.

I think you have the Orico PFU3-4P, which has 4 ports and requires supplemental power via a molex connector. The first post of the thread has a link for hooking up supplemental power from the optical bay. The solution includes a Y-cable in case you are using both SATA connections.

For the most part it is fairly easy, but the one tricky bit is removing the molex connector from one end in order to snake the cables through the existing cabling hole.

 

[snapdragonx]

So I bought the ORICO PFU3-2P as recommended in post #1, because it didn't need any power.. but the one I got has a molex connector on the PCB. Do I need to use this? I've tried it anyway and my Mac Pro doesn't seem to detect it.

Any ideas?

TIA

 

[ActionableMango]

So I bought the ORICO PFU3-2P as recommended in post #1, because it didn't need any power.. but the one I got has a molex connector on the PCB. Do I need to use this? I've tried it anyway and my Mac Pro doesn't seem to detect it.

Any ideas?

This is the card that I and a few others here use. Yes, it has a molex connector on it, but it hasn't needed power for us. I've recently tested it with a bus-powered drive attached as well.

Are you absolutely certain it is a PFU3-2P? The model number is silkscreened on the circuit board.

There are some very similar models that do require power and Amazon's ordering page makes it very easy to pick the wrong one even if you started with the right one.

IIRC, one person got a DOA card but the replacement worked.

 

[snapdragonx]

This is the card that I and a few others here use. Yes, it has a molex connector on it, but it hasn't needed power for us. I've recently tested it with a bus-powered drive attached as well.

Are you absolutely certain it is a PFU3-2P? The model number is silkscreened on the circuit board.

There are some very similar models that do require power and Amazon's ordering page makes it very easy to pick the wrong one even if you started with the right one.

IIRC, one person got a DOA card but the replacement worked.

Yep definitely the PFU3-2P, the model number is on the box and the circuit board.

So it should work straight out of the box? No drivers or anything?

I've plugged a USB 3.0 HDD into it and it doesn't mount.. nothing in Disk Utility either.

 

[ActionableMango]

Yep definitely the PFU3-2P, the model number is on the box and the circuit board.

So it should work straight out of the box? No drivers or anything?

I've plugged a USB 3.0 HDD into it and it doesn't mount.. nothing in Disk Utility either.

Yes, right out of the box for ML. In fact, I've had cards that required supplemental power and even without power connected, OS X still recognizes them enough to throw an error on the screen about insufficient USB power.

 

[snapdragonx]

Yes, right out of the box for ML. In fact, I've had cards that required supplemental power and even without power connected, OS X still recognizes them enough to throw an error on the screen about insufficient USB power.

Ok got it working, tried a different PCI slot.

I did a disk speed test using the Blackmagic app, and it's only getting around 50MB/s read and write. The same disk (it's an external RAID 0) gets 130MB/s on my Macbook Pro..

And when I turn on my external drive, it doesn't mount until I unplug the USB cable and plug it into the other slot. Weird.

So may as well have just stuck to Firewire -_-

 

[ActionableMango]

Ok got it working, tried a different PCI slot.

I did a disk speed test using the Blackmagic app, and it's only getting around 50MB/s read and write. The same disk (it's an external RAID 0) gets 130MB/s on my Macbook Pro..

So may as well have just stuck to Firewire -_-

That is astonishingly slow. Almost USB 2.0 slow.

Black Magic reports that I get about 160MB/s with a Seagate 3TB USB 3.0 desktop backup drive. For comparison, the same drive gets about 170MB/s on my 2012 Mac Mini USB 3 port.