Vantec UGT-PC345 USB 3.0 adapter fails in first x16 PCIe Gen3 slot, HP Z240 Tower workstation

[MRFSYS]

Is there a BIOS option to set the primary x16 expansion slot to PCIe Gen2?

A StarTech model PEXUSB312A is working AOK in that slot:  it's PCIe Gen3.

The Vantec UGT-PC345 appears to be compatible with PCIe Gen2 only.

Can I set the primary x16 slot to PCIe Gen2 (5G, 8b/10b legacy frame)?

[Prométhée · Accepted solution]

hi

it may have nothing to do with it, it's backwards compatible, normally

 HP Z240 Workstation - Maintenance and Service Guide

https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-z240-tower-workstation/8354563/manuals

check the documents, and maybe a link with what is mentioned here?

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c04887696

note:

In the PCIe Gen3 (x 16 electrical/x 16 mechanical) slot, if it is not being used for a graphics card, only cards certified as After Market Options for this platform are supported.

[erico]

No. There isn't.

PCIe is a backwardly compatible specification, which means there is a flaw in the design of the Vantec UGT-PC345 card.
I would return it as DOA.

A PCIe GEN 3 device plugged into a motherboard PCIe slot that is PCIe Gen 2 compatible will only run that device at PCIe Gen 2 spec bandwidth.  

[MRFSYS]

If only HP-approved video cards will work in the primary x16 PCIe 3.0 expansion slot,

perhaps one of the other PCIe 3.0 slots will allow that Vantec USB 3.0 adapter to function correctly.

I believe there is now a TP-Link TL-NG421 2.5GbE adapter installed in the x1 PCIe 3.0 expansion slot,

and a TP-Link TX401 is also installed in the secondary x16 (x4) PCIe 3.0 expansion slot:  both working AOK.

Time permitting, I'll try the Vantec card in that x1 slot:  the TL-NG421 is presently DISABLED.

The x4 PCIe 3.0 expansion slot currently hosts an M.2 / NVMe adapter + M.2 SSD, which also works AOK.

MANY THANKS to everyone who responded so promptly!!

[Prométhée]

You're welcome
check in case the documents, but in my opinion no option possible in the bios ..

[erico]

If the Startech and other branded USB adapter cards work in that slot, then troubleshooting  by replacement cards would lead me to believe that there is an issue with the Vantec UGT-PC345 adapter card.

[SDH]

My recall is that in our HP workstations with PCIe 3.0 slots there is a BIOS dropdown to choose PCIe 2.0 instead of PCIe 3.0. What is your HP computer? Have you looked into BIOS related to your question?

[MRFSYS]

Yes, our older HP workstations do have a drop-down menu

to choose PCIe 2.0 instead of PCIe 3.0.

I seem to recall those older workstations are HP Z220 SFF

and Tower workstations.

But, that drop-down menu feature is not mentioned

in any technical documentation we downloaded from HP.com.

The only available option is to ENABLE / DISABLE

each PCIe 3.0 expansion slot.

Our newer HP model is a Z240 Tower workstation.

[MRFSYS]

I'll see if Vantec sells a similar USB 3.0 AIC that works in PCIe 3.0 expansion slots.

The UGT-PC345 has an internal 20-pin socket, which offers a convenient

way of adding 2 x USB 3.0 thumb drives.

I found this neat adapter at Newegg, sold by EN LABS:

Dual Port USB 3.0 to Motherboard Mainboard Internal 20pin /19pin Header Adapter ,20-pins to 2 X USB A Female Connector

I like having one or two "internal" USB 3.0 drives e.g.

for archiving system-related files like a series of OS drive images.

The only problem with the above "header adapter" is that

the Type-A ports are quite close to each other, and

the SanDisk thumb drives that we often use

come with housings that are too wide for

both to fit into that "header adapter".

The latter problem is easily fixed with 1 or 2

USB 3.0 extension cables, which have narrower housings.

[MRFSYS]

Dual Port USB 3.0 to Motherboard Mainboard Internal 20pin /19pin Header Adapter ,20-pins to 2 X USB A Female Connector

at Newegg here:

https://www.newegg.com/black-en-labs-n-a-adapter/p/181-00WC-00003?Item=9SIACJF5AS7676