Questions related to hard drives

A

AreBee

New Member
Hello all,

First post here so please be gentle. :)

This thread relates to a case, and the USB standard, but it does relate to hard drive connectivity too, so hopefully it's in the right place.

I am in the process of putting together a high spec PC. I have a list of parts for the case which I am currently getting a quote for, and I have ordered a case which should arrive in a few days. It is important to note that the case could be returned if it is unsuitable. With that in mind...

The case in question is the Thermaltake Level 10 (full tower, not the GT model). Opinions will inevitably vary but for me this case is stunning. However, the case was released approximately 2 years ago and therefore certain components aren't quite up to modern day standards. For example the 4 USB ports on the front of the case are USB2, not USB3.

I understand that I can purchase a motherboard with, say, 2 USB3 internal headers, which each can support 2 USB3 connections, but my first question to you all is: is there a way to connect the front USB2 ports to the USB3 headers and have the front ports act as USB3 ports? If not, what would it take to make it possible?

My second question is related to SATA 3.0. I am planning on having 2 number 128GB SSD and 2 number 1TB HDD taking up the first 4 of the Level 10's 3.5"/2.5" drive units. Note that drive unit 1 and 2 are hot-swappable but 3, 4, 5 and 6 are not. The SSD can be used with SATA 3.0, as can the motherboard, but will the case itself be any kind of barrier? I have searched online and cannot find any help on this. I presume that all that is required is to plug a SATA 3.0 cable into the SSD and motherboard, but would greatly appreciate confirmation of it, for example will the hot-swappable mechanism preclude this as the SATA 3.0 cable connects not directly into the SSD but into the hot-swappable mechanism instead (if I understand the principle of a hot-swappable mechanism)?

I hope the above is clear. As I mentioned previously, if the answers to my questions turns my dream case into a nightmare than I can always return the case. I hope dearly that it will not turn out that way.

Cheers,

Rob
 
Thanks for the advice but I already have a list of components I am having priced. Can you address the questions I asked in my previous post?

Thanks
 
For your first question, you'll have to replace the 2.0 headers with 3.0 headers. Or just buy USB3.0 extenders and loop it around to your desk. Do you have devices that support 3.0?
 
claptonman said:
...you'll have to replace the 2.0 headers with 3.0 headers. Or just buy USB3.0 extenders and loop it around to your desk. Do you have devices that support 3.0?
Click to expand...

No, not at this time. However, I figure it will not be long before more and more devices support USB3, so it'd be nice to know I'm able to utilise it. I'm expecting to purchase a high resolution camera in the next few months and I suspect that it will support USB3.

I appreciate that I could simply plug a device that supports USB3 into the rear of the case (the motherboard I have decided upon supports USB3 externally and has headers internally) but it'd be great to convert the case's front USB2 ports to USB3 if possible.

To be honest it's not a deal breaker if I can't find a way to make the front ports support USB3. The answer to my question relating to SATA 3.0, however, potentially is a deal breaker.

I need to know that the case, being released about 2 years ago, will not impede the use of SSD's/HDD's and motherboard that support SATA 3.0 as the speed is very important to me. As far as I know SATA 3.0 shares the same connection as SATA 2.0 and SATA 1.0 so I think I need only connect the components together and I'm good to go...but I don't know for sure and I'm hoping someone here can confirm one way or the other if I am correct.

Can you help?
 
The case doesn't make a difference on SATA 1/2/3. If you are looking to use the hotswap features of SATA make sure your controller is set to AHCI not IDE/Legacy mode. But again, that has nothing to do with the case, other than potentially making it annoying to swap drives in and out.
 
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