MacMini USB Port Question

[pandeas]

Hi, I have a Late 2012 MacMini 2.6GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7. The spec sheets say that it has USB 3.0 ports, but when I check the system report, it says USB 2.0. Would anyone know which is correct? It just that I want to connect a fast external hard drive and want to know whether to go with USB 3 or Thunderbolt (I expect that this will be TB1).

Cheers.

 

[chabig]

You have USB 3 ports that support speed up to 5Gbps. I suspect you're misreading the System Report. You should be fine connecting an external drive to the USB port. While faster, a Thunderbolt device won't be worth the extra cost, because the data transfer rate will be limited to what the external drive can achieve.

 

[Boyd01]

I have the same Mini, and they are definitely USB 3.0. This is what I get with a 1TB Samsung T3 USB SSD, with a USB 2.0 port it would only be about 35 MB/sec.

 

[pandeas]

Thanks for the feedback. So, I have downloaded BlackMagic Disk Speed Test and plugged in a USB 3.0 WD My Passport Ultra. I am not getting anything like a USB 3.0 speed:

Here is my system:

USB details from the system profiler:

So I am not sure what is going on as the specs say USB 3.0, but mine seems to be USB 2.0.

 

[chabig]

Let's rule out the freak possibility that the manufacturer accidentally put USB2 hardware onto your motherboard in place of USB3 hardware. That leaves just a few possibilities:

1. You bought this Mini from someone who lied about its configuration and sold you a 2011 Mini disguised as a 2012.
2. You are teasing us.
3. System software can't correctly identify your hardware.

Let's assume it's a software problem. The machine is seven years old.

- Have you applied all firmware updates?
- Try resetting the System Management Controller:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

- Try downloading and running the latest High Sierra combo updater. This will ensure you have the latest drivers:

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1970

If the combo updater doesn't work, I would suggest a clean install.

 

[xbpr]

Thanks for the feedback. So, I have downloaded BlackMagic Disk Speed Test and plugged in a USB 3.0 WD My Passport Ultra. I am not getting anything like a USB 3.0 speed:

View attachment 848300

Here is my system:

View attachment 848302

USB details from the system profiler:

View attachment 848303

So I am not sure what is going on as the specs say USB 3.0, but mine seems to be USB 2.0.

I’ve got a 2012 Server and System Information shows the same 2 USB 2.0 entries as yours, but I scrolled further down and there is a USB 3.0 entry as well.

 

[jackerin]

Devices on USB 2.0 speed will show up under a 2.0 device tree in the system profiler, at least it does for me, while 3.0 devices show up under a separate 3.0 device tree. Do you have anything more showing?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Thanks for the feedback. So, I have downloaded BlackMagic Disk Speed Test and plugged in a USB 3.0 WD My Passport Ultra. I am not getting anything like a USB 3.0 speed:

For an external hard disk, those speeds look about normal. The speeds @Boyd01 was showing were from an SSD. Here's what I see on a 2012 Mini from my Time Machine backup disk.

If you had USB 2.0, you'd be getting tops around 35Mb/s

 

[pandeas]

Okay,

Thanks for this. I will check when I get home tonight if there is a 3.0 tree and also see if I’ve got a SSD external drive that I can attach.

I did check the serial number on the computer case and it matches the serial number on the system.

It still seems a bit strange that I couldn’t easily see a USB 3.0 tree. For any of you that have this as a separate tree, can you look at the image from system profiler that I have put above and compare it to yours? In case it should be in the same place.

Thanks again, this thread has been really helpful

 

[Boyd01]

Thanks for the feedback. So, I have downloaded BlackMagic Disk Speed Test and plugged in a USB 3.0 WD My Passport Ultra. I am not getting anything like a USB 3.0 speed

Sure you are. I also have a couple Passport Ultra's, and they're slow bus-powered hard drives. On USB 2.0, you would only be getting around 30-35 MB/sec. On a full sized USB 3.0 3tb hard drive with its own power brick, I get around 150 to 170MB/sec. You will need an external SSD to take full advantage of the USB port speed.

 

[Scoot65]

I've just checked the system profile on my machine. If you click and hold / drag down on the little dot below the 'bluetooth USB host controller' it will show 'USB 3 bus'. Have you tried this?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

It still seems a bit strange that I couldn’t easily see a USB 3.0 tree. For any of you that have this as a separate tree, can you look at the image from system profiler that I have put above and compare it to yours? In case it should be in the same place.

I think you just need to scroll down

There are two USB 2.0 busses on the USB Device Tree, then the USB 3.0 bus is below those. At least one of the 2.0 busses is internal; it has the IR receiver and Bluetooth controller on it.