USB3 OnBoard Header Adapter Question

Forums › Desktop computing › USB3 OnBoard Header Adapter Question

gehenna

8676 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3903

Moderator

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#240220 27-Aug-2018 12:16

I just got a new motherboard and CPU to upgrade my home server. I'm going to install UnRAID and the recommendation is to install to USB flash drive, preferably on-board so as not to remove it by mistake etc. I don't mind running it on the backplane ports but for tidiness I'd like to run it onbord and internal.

I don't appear to have an on-board USB port that is already set up, so I was wondering what kind of header adapter to get. I have a USB 3 flash drive at home I can use, so I'm wondering if I get a regular USB-A to 4-pin adapter and plug that into the USB 3 header on the motherboard, will that work as USB 3 all the way through? Or do I need a specific USB 3 header adapter?

I'm looking at something like this: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CABSTT690367/StarTech-6-USB-A-to-USB-4-Pin-Header-Cable

It says it's a USB 2 female header....

Peppery

919 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 188

Trusted

#2079668 27-Aug-2018 12:50

USB 3 headers are quite different to the 2.0 ones connector wise. AFAIK, Unraid doesn't touch the USB much once booted so I doubt you'd notice any difference between a 3.0 and a 2.0, so you should be able to use that one you've linked

littlehead

222 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 102

#2079674 27-Aug-2018 13:00

As above, USB3 has more pins so you'll need a USB3 header plug if there are no USB2 headers.

If you do want USB 3 all the way then you could use something like this and unscrew the PCI slot bracket. I can't find locally one without the bracket in a quick search but heaps from Ali Express etc if you can wait.