Re-plugging external USB devices after servicing your PC

ahmd said:

I was always curious, when you have to plug back all your external USB devices for your desktop (say, after you upgraded RAM, or put in a larger hard drive, or just after cleaning it) -- does it matter to remember how things were plugged in so that I can put everything back into the same USB ports?

PS. And if yes, how do you guys memorize that? In my case, I have about 6 USB cables that are all black and look pretty much the same even if I took a picture.

In general, it makes no difference. USB 2.0 should go back into USB 2.0, and likewise for USB 3.x. Other than that, no difference. Just remember not to mix-match. If they all worked before, they will all function the same afterward.

The only issue I've seen is that sometimes USB 2 devices don't always work properly in USB 3 ports even though USB 3 is supposed to 'fall back' to USB 2 compatibility.

ahmd said:

OK, I see. Thank you, both.

So the bottom line is not to mix USB-2 and USB-3 devices, and the rest doesn't matter, right?

That is correct. As Berton mentioned, 3.0 is supposed to be 2.0 backward compatible, but it's not always quite true. The oddest quirks can pop up plugging, say a 2.0 USB printer connector into a 3.0. Best not to mix-match unless you have no choice.

And do make note of any marking for the USB port, the "trident" is for USB 2 known as High Speed and the marking for USB 3 will include SS to indicate Super Speed.