USB Hard Disks
Many different USB (or firewrire) external hard disks are available. It is hard to decide which is better and which is best to avoid.
There is an IDE or S-ATA hard disk inside the external USB enclosures. To communicate between the hard disk and the host (the computer) a special device is required to "translate" USB commands to standard ATA commands. The hard disk can execute such commands (for example, reading, writing and so) and then sends data and results back to the host, through this device again.
USB bridges
This device is called "USB bridge" - the bridge between the host and the hard disk. Usually this is a small (approx. 1 square centimeter) chip inside the external enclosure, next to the hard disk connector.
Many companies make such USB bridges. They have different features: some of them can allow software like Hard Disk Sentinel to detect hard disk temperature, health and full S.M.A.R.T. information. These bridges also allow to use special commands for example to set acoustic level and to test the hard disk using hardware self tests and control the hard disk just like if it were an internal disk.
In contrast, many bridges do not support such features. Using hard disks with these bridges are not too safe because it is not possible to access any S.M.A.R.T. information about the hard disk. If the bridge physically has no support for it, Hard Disk Sentinel will not be able to detect any information about hard disks with such bridge chip. These chips are listed as "Not possible" to support in the table below - because of the required function is missing from the chips.
We always look for other USB bridges and their features. For unknown/new bridges we try to get information from manufacturers with more or less success. Of course when a manufacturer can provide information, details and/or an engineering sample unit, we can examine and add full support with high priority.
Determine USB bridge type
From version 2.40, Hard Disk Sentinel displays vendor and product code (VID and PID) of the USB bridge on the "Information" page when the external hard disk is selected.
VID and PID codes of USB hard disk
By this information, it is possible to find out the exact type of the USB bridge without opening the external case which may void the warranty of the external hard disk.
Below you may find information about all known bridges up to now. The list will increase as reports arrive about unknown bridges. If temperature, health information of your external hard disk is not displayed and you can see a VID/PID pair which is not listed, please use Send test report to developer option.
Known USB Bridges
| Vendor and Device | Detailed Information | Hardware support | Min. Version with support |
| VID: 0411, PID: 00A2 | MelCo. USB adapter |  Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 04B4, PID: 6830 | Cypress USB 2.0 to IDE adapter (2) | Yes | 2.02b
| | VID: 04B4, PID: 6831 | Cypress USB 2.0 to IDE adapter | Yes | 2.02b
| | VID: 04E8, PID: 1F05 | Samsung S2 Mini HDD | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 04E8, PID: 5F05 | Samsung STORY | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 04E8, PID: 5F06 | Samsung STORY Station | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 04FC, PID: 0C15 | Sunplus SPIF215A | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 04FC, PID: 0C16 | Sunplus SPIF216A | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 04FC, PID: 0C25 | Sunplus SPIF225A | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 04FC, PID: 0C26 | Sunplus SPIF226A | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0274 | IOMega Corp. / ??? (2) | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0276 | IOMega Corp. / ??? | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0277 | IOMega Corp. / ??? | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0370 | IOMega Corp. / ??? | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0475 | IOMega Corp. / ??? | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 059B, PID: 047A | IOMega Corp. / ??? | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0951 | LaCie / ??? | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0C41 | LaCie / ??? | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 059F, PID: 1010 | LaCie / ??? | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 059F, PID: 1013 | LaCie / ??? | Yes | 2.50
| | VID: 059F, PID: 1018 | LaCie / ??? | Yes | 2.50
| | VID: 059F, PID: 1019 | LaCie / ??? | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 05E3, PID: 0718 | Genesys Logic | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 067B, PID: 2507 | Prolific PL2507 Hi-speed USB to IDE bridge | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 067B, PID: 2571 | Prolific USB ATA bridge | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 067B, PID: 3507 | Prolific PL3507 Hi-speed USB to IDE bridge (2) | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FC86 | Freecom ??? | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FC88 | Freecom ??? | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FC8E | Freecom Hard Drive XS (1TB) | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCBF | Freecom Classic Drive | Yes | 2.50
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCC7 | Freecom ??? | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCD5 | Freecom Hard Drive XL (2TB) | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCDA | Freecom ??? | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 0840, PID: 0098 | Argosy Research, Inc. adapter | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 0930, PID: 0B09 | Toshiba Ext. drive | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 0503 | Seagate External Drive | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 2000 | Seagate FreeAgent Go | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 2100 | Seagate FreeAgent Go | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 2200 | Seagate FreeAgent Go | Yes | 3.10
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 3000 | Seagate FreeAgent Desktop | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 3001 | Seagate FreeAgent Desktop | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 3008 | Seagate FreeAgent Desktop | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 3010 | Seagate FreeAgent Desktop | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 3101 | Seagate FreeAgent XTreme | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 3110 | Seagate FreeAgent XTreme | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 0C0B, PID: 0329 | Dura Micro, Inc. (Acomdata) | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 0C0B, PID: 2BCF | Dura Micro, Inc. (Acomdata) | Yes | 2.70
| | VID: 0C0B, PID: B159 | Sharkoon (Dura Micro Inc.) | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 3000 | Maxtor external drive | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 3100 | Maxtor external drive | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7310 | Maxtor OneTouch pro | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7350 | Maxtor OneTouch pro | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7410 | Maxtor Basics Desktop | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7450 | Maxtor Basics Portable | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 0DC4, PID: 0073 | MacWay AluIce | Yes | 2.70
| | VID: 0DC4, PID: 0207 | Pleiades Super S-Combo | Yes | 2.70
| | VID: 0F2D, PID: 9208 | Vipower Inc VP-9208 | Yes | 2.02b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0701 | Western Digital Passport | Yes | 2.02b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0702 | Western Digital Passport | Yes | 2.02b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0704 | Western Digital WD 5000BMV | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0900 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0901 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0902 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0903 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 1058, PDI: 0905 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 1058, PDI: 0906 | Western Digital Mybook ES | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 1058, PDI: 0910 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.81
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1001 | Western Digital External Hard Disk | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1003 | Western Digital External Hard Disk | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1010 | Western Digital External Hard Disk | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1100 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1102 | Western Digital Mybook | Yes | 2.11b
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1105 | WD Mybook Studio Edition II | Yes | 2.50
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1110 | WD Mybook 1110 | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 1058, PID: 1123 | WD Mybook 3.0 2TB | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1240 | Initio Corporation INIC-1606 | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1250 | Initio Corporation Combo & HID INIC-1606 | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1340 | Initio Corporation INIC-1606L | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1640 | Initio Corporation INIC-1610 | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1650 | Initio Corporation INIC-1610L | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1840 | Initio Corporation INIC-1608 | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1850 | Initio Corporation Combo & HID INIC-1608 | Yes | 2.60b
| | VID: 152D, PID: 2329 | JMicron USB-SATA bridge | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 152D, PID: 2336 | JMicron 20336 SATA adapter | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 152D, PID: 2338 | JMicron 20337 SATA+IDE adapter | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 152D, PID: 2339 | JMicron 20339 SATA adapter (2) | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 152D, PID: 2352 | JMicron JMB352 dual SATA adapter | Yes | 3.10
| | VID: 17EF, PID: 4502 | Lenovo 120 GB portable hard disk | Yes | 2.02b
| | VID: 18A5, PID: 0216 | Verbatim external hard disk | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 1BCF, PID: 0C31 | SunPlus Technology Inc. | Yes | 2.90
| | VID: 3538, PID: 0064 | Power Quotient Intl. USB 2.0 drive 1.03PI-210 | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 4971, PID: CE07 | STech Simple Drive | Yes | 2.40
| | VID: 4971, PID: CE17 | STech Simple Drive | Yes | 3.00
| | VID: 0402, PID: 5621 | ALI USB controller |  No | Not possible
| | VID: 0402, PID: 5637 | ALI M5637 USB OTG controller | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0402, PID: 5642 | ALI M5642 USB OTG controller | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0409, PID: 0056 | NEC ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 040D, PID: 6204 | VIA VT6204 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 040D, PID: 6208 | VIA VT6208 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0424, PID: 20CD | Standard Microsystems Corp. USB97C202 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0471, PID: 0873 | Philips ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0471, PID: 083A | Philips ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 048D, PID: 8903 | Integrated Technology Express IT8903 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 04CF, PID: 8813 | Myson Century CS8813 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 04CF, PID: 8818 | Myson Century CS8818 USB2.0 - ATAPI Bridge | No | Not possible
| | VID: 04E8, PID: 2F03 | Samsung S1 Mini HDD | No | Not possible
| | VID: 058F, PID: 6390 | Alcor Micro Corp - AU6390 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 058F, PID: 6391 | Alcor Micro Corp - AU6391 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 058F, PID: 6395 | Alcor Micro Corp - AU6395 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0159 | IOMega USB 2.0 Device | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0178 | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 017A | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0275 | IOMega MDHD500-U | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 027A | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 027D | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0372 | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 037B | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 037D | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059B, PID: 0473 | IOMega ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0351 | Lacie | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0527 | Lacie BigDisk | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0611 | Lacie | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0641 | Lacie | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0651 | Lacie (FA Porsche design) | No | Not possible
| | VID: 059F, PID: 0751 | Lacie ?? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 05AC, PID: 1209 | Apple iPod | No | Not possible
| | VID: 05E3, PID: 0702 | Genesys Logic GL811E USB 2.0 to IDE adapter | No | Not possible
| | VID: 067B, PID: 2506 | Prolific PL2506 USB to IDE bridge | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0766, PID: 0012 | Jess Link ?? Ext Hard Disk | No | Not possible
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FC81 | Freecom ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCCA | Freecom ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCCD | Freecom ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCDF | Freecom ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 07AB, PID: FCFE | Freecom ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 07FF, PID: 00FF | Unknown external drive | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0840, PID: 0084 | Argosy Research ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0840, PID: 0098 | Argosy Research ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0840, PID: 00C1 | Argosy Research ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0917, PID: 0213 | SmartDisk Corp.Ext Hard Disk | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0928, PID: 0002 | Oxford Semiconductor ??? | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 0500 | Seagate USB drive | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 0502 | Seagate USB drive | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0BC2, PID: 0888 | Seagate USB drive | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0C0B, PID: 0540 | Dura Micro, Inc. (Acomdata) | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0C0B, PID: 1140 | Dura Micro, Inc. (Acomdata) | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0C0B, PID: 27E7 | Dura Micro, Inc. (Acomdata) | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0C0B, PID: B136 | MacWay Storeva AluBlack | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 3200 | Maxtor Personal Storage 3200 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 3210 | Maxtor Personal Storage 3200 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 5000 | Maxtor 5000XT | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 5020 | Maxtor 5000DV | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7000 | Maxtor OneTouch | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7010 | Maxtor OneTouch | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7100 | Maxtor OneTouch II | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7110 | Maxtor OneTouch II | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7212 | Maxtor OneTouch III | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7228 | Maxtor OneTouch IIIs | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D49, PID: 7250 | Maxtor OneTouch IIIs | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0D7D, PID: 1470 | Vosonic X's-Drive II+ VP2160 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0DBF, PID: 021B | Quik Tech USB-2.0 IDE Adapter | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0DC4, PID: 0042 | Macpower USB2.0A 3.5" HDD | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0E79, PID: 1312 | Archos Inc. PC Hard Drive | No | Not possible
| | VID: 0EA0, PID: 2118 | Ours Technology Inc. OTi-2118 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0200 | Western Digital External | No | Not possible
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0400 | Western Digital External | No | Not possible
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0401 | Western Digital External | No | Not possible
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0402 | Western Digital External | No | Not possible
| | VID: 1058, PID: 0403 | Western Digital External | No | Not possible
| | VID: 1A5A, PID: 0001 | DELL RD1000 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 0540 | Initio Corporation | No | Not possible
| | VID: 13FD, PID: 1040 | Initio Corporation INIC-1511 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 14C2, PID: 0001 | NEC 0720130GC / Gemlight Computer | No | Not possible
| | VID: 14CD, PID: 6116 | Super Top | No | Not possible
| | VID: 14CD, PID: 6600 | Super Top USB 2.0 to IDE | No | Not possible
| | VID: 2735, PID: 1005 | DigitalWay MPIO HD300 | No | Not possible
| | VID: 2821, PID: 5002 | Unknown (ASUS ext. case) | No | Not possible
| | VID: 4971, PID: CB01 | SimpleTech (GL811E) | No | Not possible
| | VID: ED06, PID: 8000 | Omnitech UTS8000 chip | No | Not possible
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Not possible means that the required function is missing from the chip, that's why no further information can be displayed about the disk controlled by this chip.
(1): this bridge chip has hardware support but because of missing software interface information, Hard Disk Sentinel does not yet support enclosures built with this bridge chip. Requests for the necessary information are on-going.
(2): reports received about both supported and unsupported devices built with this bridge chip. Please send a report if you use such external enclosure.
Notes
Detection is independent from the size, type, model and manufacturer of the hard disk inside the external enclosure. The functionality of the bridge chip determines if Hard Disk Sentinel can access information about the hard disk.
It is possible that an unknown bridge is compatible with any of the existing detection methods. So if the temperature, health and other details of your USB hard disk is diplayed but the VID/PID combination (displayed by the latest version of Hard Disk Sentinel) is not listed in the table, please use Send test report to developer option. This way new compatible bridges can be added to the list.
In most cases before purchasing an external hard disk, it is hard to know the type of the bridge inside the case. Please check hardware compatibility page for the list of known external hard disks/enclosures using compatible USB bridges.
Tehcnically, pendrives and card readers work like external hard disks so you can see vendor and product information (VID/PID) of such devices also.
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