Dumb question about USB 2.0 & 3.0

frau kaleun · 02-06-13, 11:12 AM

So I bought a new external backup drive, which is USB 3.0 and comes with the appropriate cable but is backwards compatible with 2.0. I'm pretty sure I don't have USB 3.0 on the current rig, just a plethora of available 2.0 ports.

My dumb question is, is the 3.0 cable backwards compatible with 2.0, or just the device? Meaning, can I use the cable they supplied with a 2.0 port, or should I dig out an extra 2.0 cable from the approximately three million of them currently stowed in the Big Box O' Tech Stuff I'm Not Using underneath my bed?

Just realized this may be an even dumber question than I thought, as I may get home and find that the 3.0 cable does not, in fact, fit into a 2.0 port. If so, please feel free to deride me at your leisure.

02-06-13, 11:12 AM	#1
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Dumb question about USB 2.0 & 3.0 So I bought a new external backup drive, which is USB 3.0 and comes with the appropriate cable but is backwards compatible with 2.0. I'm pretty sure I don't have USB 3.0 on the current rig, just a plethora of available 2.0 ports. My dumb question is, is the 3.0 cable backwards compatible with 2.0, or just the device? Meaning, can I use the cable they supplied with a 2.0 port, or should I dig out an extra 2.0 cable from the approximately three million of them currently stowed in the Big Box O' Tech Stuff I'm Not Using underneath my bed? Just realized this may be an even dumber question than I thought, as I may get home and find that the 3.0 cable does not, in fact, fit into a 2.0 port. If so, please feel free to deride me at your leisure.