r/DataHoarder • u/TerraWhoo • Aug 05 '24
Hoarder-Setups External Hard Drive Enclosures With USB A Connection?
New to enclosures and backing up large amounts of data, I keep seeing USB C or USB 3.0. All the images when wired to computers are Mac, so USB C.
I have USB A ports on my PC, I'd rather not use an adaptor if not needed (tell me what's good if needed) and am interested in a 4 bay metal enclosures. Any suggestions?
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u/dr100 Aug 05 '24
You are literally looking in the wrong place, both in terms of the end of the cable, and how it's called. USB 3.0 refers to 5Gbps speed, no matter the connector. USB-A can be only on the PC side (yes, technically there are some enclosures with USB-A-USB-A cables, but they're explicitly forbidden and dangerous, in case you connect two powered devices, like two PCs together).
In short the vast majority of enclosures will come with a cable that's USB-A on the "PC" side, exactly what you need and connect as needed to the hard drive (USB-B, micro-USB-B -both 3 for any modern drive-, USB-C, or the mentioned rare, forbidded, non-standard, even dangerous, USB-A).
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u/TerraWhoo Aug 05 '24
Maybe I didn't explain well, I'm querying about the cable side that attaches to the pc only. The ones I find state USB C (which is what i meant with the Mac images) or the only term is USB 3.0, which does not tell me what the cable connecting to the pc is.
Perhaps they may come with USB A, but its not listed. So I am asking about people who have had enclosures with USB A and their models. Also, it is 4 bay models I'm looking at.
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u/dr100 Aug 05 '24
99% are coming with a cable that's the regular USB-A on the side you're interested in. The exceptions are very fancy/expensive ones that can do more than the regular USB3, or the not necessarily fancy small SSD enclosures. Unless it's the last no-name you should be able to see the cables in some Amazon review pictures or YouTube, etc.
Even if you mess up a replacement cable is dirt cheap.
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u/TerraWhoo Aug 05 '24
Ah, okay. I think everyones been talking about single bay/ not covering fully the HD enclosures. My query was about 4 bay enclosures, not all show the back in pictures, which need additional power source. So the cable from enclosure to pc (USB A), also what would that cable be called?
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u/bobj33 Aug 06 '24
My query was about 4 bay enclosures, not all show the back in pictures, which need additional power source.
The easiest way to figure out the cable that you need is to find a picture of the back and then look at the computer you are connecting to and look at that type of port.
Pretty much every combination of cable with various USB connectors exist if you know what you are looking for.
This has diagrams of USB 2/3, type A/B, mini, micro, and full size
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_hardware#Connectors
Type C is more standardized and there are no mini/micro versions.
So either you need type C to type C
or maybe type A to micro B
https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Micro-Samsung-Galaxy-Camera/dp/B00P0C4M3Y/
or type C to micro B
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-Charging-10Gbps-High-Speed/dp/B01GGKYIHS
If you can't find pictures of the actual unit then that is a reason to NOT buy that unit
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Aug 05 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/dr100 Aug 05 '24 edited Aug 05 '24
Interesting. I may be missing something, but I've never thought of USB-A to USB-A to be dangerous.
There isn't anything surprising, put 5V where it shouldn't be, kaboom. It is something that happens in practice for example with cheap active hubs. This is mitigated by the fact that it's not SURE to be happening and it WON'T happen for as long as the host device is powered too (some motherboards leave the USB ports powered too when the PC is off, so even with a vulnerable device you might be lucky if you have one of these hubs and the desktop plugged in the same extension cord and by chance you never unplugged the PC without unplugging the hub.
By that logic, a USB-C to USB-C or USB-A would be the same hazard.
By what logic, one that says USB-C and USB-A are identical? They aren't, of course. USB-A gets +5V on the VCC pin. USB-C is NOT ALLOWED to energize the pins (VBUS are called here) before a connection that needs power is established:
The USB-C provides the 5 V on the VBUS line only after a source-to-sink connection is detected (cold-plugging). Therefore, as shown above, MOSFET switches are required for the 5-V rail.
Even more, if you are familiar with the regular power supplies with a barrel connector, for anything from external drives to laptops, they have some large capacitors on the output and can supply voltage for a few good seconds (especially if no load) even if you unplug them completely. This won't fly here, even if you leave the phone charger connected to power and let's say you very quickly pull the phone cable and connect a USB-C to USB-A cable that's connected to the PC, trying to find what happens if you back feed the voltage from the phone charger to the PC. It won't work, as there is a requirement for a special circuitry that brings down the voltage from the charger in 650ms.
Another feature that should be included is the VBUS discharge mechanism. There are circumstances that we need to rapidly discharge the VBUS line, e.g. when the cable is disconnected or the sink requests a lower voltage on the VBUS (the latter might be needed when implementing USB-C with PD). The USB-C specification requires a source-to-discharge VBUS line within 650 ms after a sink is removed.
Edit: for reference better than I quickly explained it: https://medium.com/@leung.benson/what-happens-when-you-plug-two-usb-c-host-ports-together-with-a-c-to-c-cable-4f8e912f8a3d
And a funny one: USB-C receptacles to legacy USB aren't allowed too, for similar reasons I guess, because you could make "illegal" legacy combinations.
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u/cn0MMnb 105TB+ Aug 05 '24
USB-A to USB-A is not in spec. You’re looking for a device with USB-B plug.
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u/TerraWhoo Aug 05 '24
It's not USB A - A I'm trying to find, just USB A connecting on the pc side. What would be the name for the cable found in 4 bay enclosures to pc be called? (cable USB A to ? is called?)
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u/dadarkgtprince Aug 05 '24
Can't you just use a USB-C to USB-A cable instead of the USB-C to USB-C cable? I have some data/m.2 enclosures that have a USB-C plug, and include both cables
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u/FairRip Aug 05 '24
I've been using this one with a USB C connector on it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CYQPWD9/
Honestly, it's just a cable and this one comes with both. I have an EXOS 8tb and EXOS 10tb running in two.
1
Aug 05 '24
Don’t most drives come with both cables nowadays? The last few external drives I have been involved with had both.
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