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Latest Versions:

WIN: 2.50
Beta: 2.60b

DOS: 0.02

Linux: 0.02




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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 (the most common) 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.

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
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 DeviceDetailed InformationHardware supportMin. Version with support
VID: 04B4, PID: 6830Cypress USB 2.0 to IDE adapterYes Yes2.02b
VID: 04B4, PID: 6831Cypress USB 2.0 to IDE adapterYes Yes2.02b
VID: 04FC, PID: 0C15Sunplus SPIF215AYes Yes2.60b
VID: 04FC, PID: 0C16Sunplus SPIF216AYes Yes2.60b
VID: 04FC, PID: 0C25Sunplus SPIF225AYes Yes2.60b
VID: 04FC, PID: 0C26Sunplus SPIF226AYes Yes2.60b
VID: 059B, PID: 0276IOMega Corp. / ???Yes Yes2.60b
VID: 059F, PID: 1013LaCie / ???Yes Yes2.50
VID: 067B, PID: 2507Prolific PL2507 Hi-speed USB to IDE bridgeYes Yes2.40
VID: 067B, PID: 3507Prolific PL3507 Hi-speed USB to IDE bridgeYes Yes2.60b
VID: 0BC2, PID: 3000Seagate FreeAgent DesktopYes Yes2.11b
VID: 0BC2, PID: 3010Seagate FreeAgent DesktopYes Yes2.11b
VID: 0C0B, PID: B159Sharkoon (Dura Micro Inc.)Yes Yes2.60b
VID: 0F2D, PID: 9208Vipower Inc VP-9208Yes Yes2.02b
VID: 1058, PID: 0701Western Digital PassportYes Yes2.02b
VID: 1058, PID: 0702Western Digital PassportYes Yes2.02b
VID: 1058, PID: 0900Western Digital MybookYes Yes2.11b
VID: 1058, PID: 0901Western Digital MybookYes Yes2.11b
VID: 1058, PID: 0902Western Digital MybookYes Yes2.11b
VID: 1058, PID: 1100Western Digital MybookYes Yes2.11b
VID: 1058, PID: 1102Western Digital MybookYes Yes2.11b
VID: 1058, PID: 1105WD Mybook Studio Edition IIYes Yes2.50
VID: 13FD, PID: 1240Initio Corporation INIC-1606 Yes Yes2.60b
VID: 13FD, PID: 1250Initio Corporation Combo & HID INIC-1606 Yes Yes2.60b
VID: 13FD, PID: 1640Initio Corporation INIC-1610Yes Yes2.40
VID: 13FD, PID: 1650Initio Corporation INIC-1610LYes Yes2.40
VID: 13FD, PID: 1840Initio Corporation INIC-1608 Yes Yes2.60b
VID: 13FD, PID: 1850Initio Corporation Combo & HID INIC-1608 Yes Yes2.60b
VID: 152D, PID: 2329JMicron USB-SATA bridgeYes Yes2.40
VID: 152D, PID: 2336JMicron 20336 SATA adapterYes Yes2.40
VID: 152D, PID: 2338JMicron 20337 SATA+IDE adapterYes Yes2.40
VID: 152D, PID: 2339JMicron 20339 SATA adapterYes Yes2.40
VID: 0424, PID: 20CDStandard Microsystems Corp. USB97C202No NoNot possible
VID: 048D, PID: 8903Integrated Technology Express IT8903No NoNot possible
VID: 04CF, PID: 8813Myson Century CS8813No NoNot possible
VID: 04CF, PID: 8818Myson Century CS8818 USB2.0 - ATAPI BridgeNo NoNot possible
VID: 05E3, PID: 0702Genesys Logic GL811E USB 2.0 to IDE adapterNo NoNot possible
VID: 058F, PID: 6390Alcor Micro Corp - AU6390No NoNot possible
VID: 067B, PID: 2506Prolific PL2506 USB to IDE bridgeNo NoNot possible
VID: 0EA0, PID: 2118Ours Technology Inc. OTi-2118No NoNot possible
VID: 13FD, PID: 1040Initio Corporation INIC-1511No NoNot possible


(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.

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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