X220 (and X201, X200) USB 3.0 Expresscard

[dr_st]

So it appears that many people here have purchased the 54mm AKE USB3 card (Renesas-based) to use with their X220.

Has anyone experienced lag / stutter issues which are described in this thread?
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo/ ... e-lag.html

If so, did you find a working solution? None of the things suggested in that thread worked.

We have received a batch of these for our computers at work, and they all seem to be having this problem with the X220s (which effectively makes them unusable). No problems in other laptops so far.

I think it may have to be a manifestation of the L0s issue which I mentioned in the other thread, but not sure yet, as haven't had enough time to investigate.

[dr_st]

Well, I can confirm that disabling PCIe Power Management in the BIOS makes the issue disappear, so it probably is the same L0s thing. I conclude that using the setpci solution will probably also work.

But it is a bit off-putting - too much hassle with these uPD720202-based cards to have me recommend them wholeheartedly.

The 34mm Fresco/ASMedia solutions may be a little less performing, but are far less prone to these glitches.

[Core Share]

Thought I'd revive this thread; bought this near the beginning of 2013:

AKE 54mm Express Card ExpressCard to 3 Port USB 3.0 (Flush Mount)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/54mm-Express-Ca ... 0740360114

Once I found updated drivers, it works well enough, but the physical build quality is atrocious, very flimsy.

Noticed this on the Lenovo Website:

StarTech 2 Port Flush Mount ExpressCard 54mm SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Card Adapter

(ECUSB3S254F)

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/cont ... CUSB3S254F

http://www.startech.com/Cards-Adapters/ ... CUSB3S254F

Which has previously been cited in this thread; presumably Lenovo think this peripheral of sufficient quality to market?

Does anyone have experience with this card?

More generally, has anyone found a USB 3.0 flush mount port ExpressCard with exemplary physical build quality?

(Don't get me started on "inherent Persigian quality"! )

Thank you.

[enosdan]

Call me greedy, but I wish they had one that came with 1 eSATA and 1 USB 3.0

Here you go.
http://www.ebay.it/itm/Express-Card-54M ... 1c37d97afe
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/796 ... usb3-esata

[dr_st]

http://www.ebay.it/itm/Express-Card-54M ... 1c37d97afe

I have one of these. It works fine, but is claimed to be a battery hog. Then again maybe not more than any other USB3 ExpressCard.

I want to do a survey on power consumption of these USB3/eSATA ExpressCards. Hopefully I'll get to it sometimes this year.

[piledriver]

I have two of those esata + USB3 units

One was DOA
the other only works as USB3. It does work well for that.
(the second device is never seen under any OS using any driver)

Can anyone recommend the Startech dual USB3?

[mpcook]

I bought this one at amazon. It works well, except when plugging in and unplugging, the card pops out. You have to remember to hold it in with a finger.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005YX ... UTF8&psc=1

[dr_st]

the other only works as USB3. It does work well for that.
(the second device is never seen under any OS using any driver)

Did you actually plug an eSATA device and it didn't work?

The eSATA/USB3 card I have has the eSATA port implemented as a daughter device of the USB3 controller. It is not a separate device, and requires no separate driver. But it does work.

[ABuNeNe]

I'm using this ake expresscard 54mm 2 x esata card on my t43 and it works great! Plug and play on Win7, maybe going to try out Win8 and hope it'll work.

The only minor issue I've is the connectors does not provide any locking thus the esata cables can be easily removed thus disconnecting the hdd.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

I bought this one at amazon. It works well, except when plugging in and unplugging, the card pops out. You have to remember to hold it in with a finger.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005YX ... UTF8&psc=1

That means you are still stuck with the rather low USB performance. Such a shame Lenovo didn't put a real eSata port on there.

[dr_st]

That means you are still stuck with the rather low USB performance. Such a shame Lenovo didn't put a real eSata port on there.

I assume it's my post you wanted to quote?

I wouldn't call it rather low. USB3 and eSATA performance is quite similar.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Eh, yes, I intended to quote your post.

In copying ISO files... yes. When copying small (500 kB) files USB 3.0 is nowhere to be seen compared to eSata; about half... and let's not start about even smaller files or CPU usage...

All in all it's a shame Lenovo didn't just put on a real eSata port. SATA ports left over on the chipset anyway. On the W520 you have eSata on the dock, one on the laptop and there's still one wasted.

[dr_st]

That's a good point, I'll have to test it once I get around to obtaining the ExpressCards that are actual eSATA.

The X220 is such a small chassis that I can readily forgive the absence of a native eSATA port. The already put plenty of connectors there. But I guess they could make one of the USB ports combined with eSATA.

And you can always use dock for eSATA (not the Ultrabase).

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

The smaller chassis already means you can't put in double HDD, as in W520. The more reason to implement eSata.

If at one point I replace my W520 for everyday use, I think I'll turn it into a server. With mSata SSD and four normal HDD's: one connected to the normal 2.5" HDD bay, one to the ultrabay SATA, one to the eSata and one to the dock eSata.

[jdrou]

If at one point I replace my W520 for everyday use, I think I'll turn it into a server. With mSata SSD and four normal HDD's: one connected to the normal 2.5" HDD bay, one to the ultrabay SATA, one to the eSata and one to the dock eSata.

Of course for a non-mobile system you can use a 3.5" external drive or even a RAID enclosure of some kind making all the internal storage irrelevant.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Yup. But with an X220 you'll end up with only two SATA ports instead of four.

[Dekks]

Just set up my AKE eSATA/USB 3.0 Expresscard 54mm on my SATA 2 x201i. Rough first test 70MB transfer rates with the eSATA port.

This is with Linux Mint MATE 17, the card is picked up straight away as a ASMedia device and is a tight fit into the slot and requires some serious pushing on the lever to eject it. My no-name backup drive caddy contains a 320GB 2.5in TOSHIBA HDD in a caddy with USB2 and eSATA ports.

[jackleman]

Well, I can confirm that disabling PCIe Power Management in the BIOS makes the issue disappear, so it probably is the same L0s thing. I conclude that using the setpci solution will probably also work.

But it is a bit off-putting - too much hassle with these uPD720202-based cards to have me recommend them wholeheartedly.

The 34mm Fresco/ASMedia solutions may be a little less performing, but are far less prone to these glitches.

You just saved me a lot of hassle. I had to disable PCIe power management with this startech model: http://www.startech.com/Cards-Adapters/ ... CUSB3S254F

Thanks!

[ozma]

Just got this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301724458219? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Works perfect with lenovo x201 with ubuntu 16.04.2 (didn't even need to reboot)
Faster than the my regular usb2 ports (by factor of 2 on read and 1.3 on write, but it might also be limited by the flash drive itself)

* Not available for "boot from usb"

[dr_st]

Just got this one:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301724458219? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Works perfect with lenovo x201 with ubuntu 16.04.2 (didn't even need to reboot)

Cool. Welcome to the forum, and thanks for sharing. Which chipset is used by this adapter?