External USB on m/board that doesn't support SSD

[HarryAdney]

My motherboard doesn't support SSDs. I have a lot of large image files I want fast access to; is there any point to using an external SSD via USB?

 

[iXeon]

My motherboard doesn't support SSDs. I have a lot of large image files I want fast access to; is there any point to using an external SSD via USB?

what do you mean, you mean that the motherboard doesn't have any SATA ports?
you can get a PCI module for additional SATA ports for a low price.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA85V3DG9048&cm_re=PCI_SATA-_-16-124-064-_-Product
if your motherboard is so old that it wont make it through the PCI module then the External SSD or flash drive wouldn't help that much.
anyway it's possible to get a USB 3.0 PCI module and install it on your system then connect a external SSD or HDD to it.
if you considered the USB 2.0 port for that purpose i should tell you it's not so different from a IDE drive speed.

 

[HarryAdney]

Thanks for getting back to me. I have an old Dell Studio xps. It does have an eSATA socket on the rear, but apparently the lack of AHCI in the BIOS prevents me using an SSD. Is there a way to use eSATA instead? Maybe I should get a USB 3.0 PCI, as you suggest.

 

[iXeon]

Thanks for getting back to me. I have an old Dell Studio xps. It does have an eSATA socket on the rear, but apparently the lack of AHCI in the BIOS prevents me using an SSD. Is there a way to use eSATA instead? Maybe I should get a USB 3.0 PCI, as you suggest.

Well , i think you motherboard have SATA ports on it , so that means that you can install a SSD on it , about the lack if AHCI mode you talking about, it's just a improvement in how SSD interact with the motherboard and controller (Advanced Host Controller Interface or AHCI) it doesn't mean that if your motherboard doesn't support this mode , it can't run SSDs on it , the SSD will be recognized by your motherboard and you can install windows on it and you will experience the speed of the SSD just like normal.