# Can I run a USB drive on my old laptop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 3, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246 "2009-02-03T14:01:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/1 "2009-02-03T14:01:38Z")
I have an old Compaq M2310 laptop that I want to use an external portable 2.5" USB drive with. I’ve narrowed my choices down to a 250gb Western Digital My Paasport or a LaCie 320gb Portable Hard Drive. Both say they are USB 2 and their power is supplied through the USB ports. I’m not sure, but given its age, I think the Compaq may be USB 1.0. I’ve looked in device manager (I’m not sure what I should be looking for), and under Universal Serial Bus Controllers, it lists Intel 820801DB/DBM. Under Power it shows 500mA per port, and there are two ports. Does that indicate which USB it is? Can I run either of those drives on the Compaq? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/2 "2009-02-03T14:14:04Z")
I would guess the Presario M2310 will have USB1.0 due to its age but you can test it easily. Any USB 2.0 device will be backwards compatible with USB 1.0 Transfers will be _much_ slower. You can use it for transferring single files but if you are thinking of doing backups or transfering large amounts of data it will get old very fast. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/3 "2009-02-03T15:01:41Z")
You may be able to buy a PC-Card for your laptop which would give you USB2 (of the OS can support that). ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/4 "2009-02-03T15:17:49Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > You may be able to buy a PC-Card for your laptop which would give you USB2 (of the OS can support that). Your definitely can get one of those. I did for my old laptop. Try Belkin. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/5 "2009-02-03T15:19:20Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > You may be able to buy a PC-Card for your laptop which would give you USB2 (of the OS can support that). Thanks for the suggestion, but the slot is already occupied with a wireless card. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/6 "2009-02-03T15:37:19Z")
Manual for your unit > **[c00444840.pdf](https://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00444840.pdf)** See page 1-3 Ports are USB 2.0 ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/7 "2009-02-03T15:49:37Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Manual for your unit > > [http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00444840.pdf](http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00444840.pdf) > > See page 1-3 Ports are USB 2.0 Many thanks. Where else but the SD? I mean - you’ve even told me the _page number_. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-run-a-usb-drive-on-my-old-laptop/484246/8 "2009-02-03T16:20:30Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Thanks for the suggestion, but the slot is already occupied with a wireless card. Well you can still do this just get a USB wireless device also.