PCI-E to USB 3.0 5-Port PCI Express Expansion Card and 15-Pin Power Connector, Mini PCI-E USB 3.0 Hub Controller Adapter with Internal 20-Pin Connector - Expand Another Two USB 3.0 Ports

The driver disk fails to install drivers within sometime during the middle lifetime and after the lifetime of Windows 7. After viewing the drivers used for Windows 10, it is almost obvious the drivers had to be rewritten/recompiled by Microsoft instead of the manufacturer.I had to perform many downloads from 3rd party risky websites as Renesas (the chip maker or original designer of this layout) does not publish Windows 7 drivers until I finally acquired several reliable ones from Dell/HP and other sites. (2020.02.20 Currently, Renesas only hosts a download for the USB library designkit only, no driver files or source code.)If you're using Windows 7 or other operating system aside from Linux or Windows 10, you're going to be vainly searching for an "Extensible USB Host Controller" driver. (Windows 7 installs an inoperable/non-working stub driver "USB Host Serial" driver.)Linuxdmesg | grep 03:00[ 0.412520] pci 0000:03:00.0: [1912:0014] type 00 class 0x0c0330Vender: 1912Device: 0014Linuxlspci | grep 03:0003:00.0 USB controller: Renesas Technology Corp. uPD720201 USB 3.0 Host Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 30 [XHCI])Maker: RenesasModel: uPD720201From my memory, chips imprinted with Made in China.How to manually install drivers for Windows 7/Vista/XP:The driver EXE (RENESAS-USB3-Host-Driver-30230-setup.exe) package installs driver and application files to:C:\Program Files (x86)\RenesasA sub-extracted MSI (.msi) rusb3drv.msi file containing the actual Renesas drivers can be found within:C:\ProgramData\Downloaded Installations\{58A47A70-7367-4CD6-BCF0-D6857A4093FB}However, once the driver EXE file performs a partial install, or has an existing installation, all the drivers can be found within the Program Files (x86)\Renesas folder without using the EXE again. Simply use the the Windows 7 device manager to update the non-working (Renesas VENDOR: 1912 DEVICE 0014) Host Controller driver with specifying the Program Files (x86)\Renesas folder as the location of the driver files. Likely will have another non-working driver (Renasas Root Hub driver) install and showing within the Device Manager, and will need to manually update the driver pointing to the Program Files (x86)\Renesas folder as well.Also may need to search the Task Manager for a rusb3.exe process related to the Renesas program install, starting automatically, and maybe needed to end the process prior to attempting to install/update the drivers.PROS1) Four 3.0 USB rear ports with an internal USB 3.0 header for front USB 3.0 ports.2) Does work in Linux and Windows 10.3) Gold plated preventing corrosion.4) Still working after 2.5 years.CONS1) Driver install disk fails to install drivers via it's automation.2) Driver disk does not contain any easily extractable or obtainable driver for manual or fallback installation methods.3) Driver package RENESAS-USB3-Host-Driver-30230-setup.exe install fails within middle lifetime and after lifetime of Windows 7.2020.02.20 After more research and tries, I found where the actual drivers are extracted/installed to and manually used the Device Manager to install/update the drivers. Likely at one time half installed the drivers, then failed, with no fallback to complete installing the drivers. I reverted my review from one star to four stars.2021.07.21 Works only in Windows or Linux kernel's <5.8, now getting a firmware file missing: "xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: Direct firmware load for renesas_usb_fw.mem failed with error -2"[root@4void roger]# dmesg |grep 03\:00[ 3.589337] pci 0000:03:00.0: [1912:0014] type 00 class 0x0c0330[ 3.589366] pci 0000:03:00.0: reg 0x10: [mem 0xf6200000-0xf6201fff 64bit][ 3.589509] pci 0000:03:00.0: PME# supported from D0 D3hot D3cold[ 4.976775] xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: Direct firmware load for renesas_usb_fw.mem failed with error -2[ 4.976778] xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: request_firmware failed: -2[ 4.978151] xhci_hcd: probe of 0000:03:00.0 failed with error -22021.07.22 Seems I had to update the firmware on the controller using a user's Linux Renesas firmware updating tool (eg. upd72020x-load) from GitHub as well as updated firmware from another user's GitHub.1) Find the PCIe port the controller is installed on, in my case, 03:00.# lspci | grep Renesas2) Detach the controller, if it isn't already due to the error:# echo -n 0000:03:00.0 > /sys/bus/pci/drivers/xhci_hcd/unbind3) Update the firmware, states non-persistent, but upon reboot, I had no problems using the USB controller with no need to re-run the firmware uploading.# ./upd72020x-load -u -b 0x03 -d 0x00 -f 0x0 -i /home/roger/src/renesas/uPD72020x-Firmware/UPDATE.mem4) Attach the USB PCIe controller:# echo -n 0000:03:00.0 > /sys/bus/pci/drivers/xhci_hcd/bind5) I also copied the UPDATE.mem firmware file to /lib/firmware/renesas_usb_fw.mem, so plausible the firmware could be uploading now on reboot, as the card might now recognize the more recent firmware as legit? I'll need to perform many more reboots to figure-out if the /lib/firmware/renesas_usb_fw.mem file is still needed, etc.Reference:https://github.com/markusj/upd72020x-loadhttps://github.com/denisandroid/uPD72020x-Firmware

This is a very well made add on PCI-E card, especially suited for upgrading an older computer than has an empty PCI slot but not enough USB3 ports. The data transmission speed through the card ports is faster than what I get from the original header off the motherboard. I advise being careful to check the exact specs and part numbers when purchasing this type of product, since the quality and reliability of different brands varies from poor to excellent. The Mailiya brand seems to be excellent.A couple words of advice on installing this card. They have thoughtfully included plenty of cords to connect this card to your PSU. The supplemental power connection is really necessary, since you could end up drawing in excess of 25 watts through the card if you are careless in your choice of plug in accessories. The PCI card slot can't support that power draw and you'll have problems without the supplemental direct connection to the PSU.Also, for my particular computer, the data transmission speed through the 20 pin extra connector (like to the front panel of the computer) seemed a bit slower than the five direct ports. This may have been an individual thing with my hardware and not necessarily a fault of the card. I would not consider this a negative.

i installed this product so i could have usb ports for windows 7 on my z390 motherboard(google running windows 7 on a z390 motherboard to see why i needed it). i run a dual boot 7/10 os. i was getting constant disconnects in windows 7 that were very annoying. i checked everything that i knew to check but with no resolution. i went in "device manager" and right click everything related to this device to deselect the turn off to save power option. i stumbled on a setting called "disable usb 3.0 power management functions". i checked that box and applied it. the application hung for a moments but it eventually applied itself and un-hung. i have not had a single problem with it since and i have been using it for several hours now. that appears to have fixed it. i only gave this four stars because that shouldn't be some hidden setting that no one tells u to look for but it will cause u no end of troubles. u may also want to go into the advanced power settings in windows control panels and disable all the "suspend" and "turn off" function for things like the usb ports and pcie power management. other than that, i'm very happy with it at this point. have had no issues with it in windows 10.p.s. if u r also trying to install windows 7 on a z390 motherboard, after u get it up and going use a program called "snappy driver installer"(google it) to find a bunch of drivers for windows 7 that u otherwise would not have like chipset, ect.(you'll still need the included c.d. to install drivers for this product though). it still won't have any usb drivers for ur motherboard though so u will still need this product.

Works wonderfully. Not sure what a lot of the negative reviews are on about. Out of the package it looks well made and solid. Popped right into my tower with the included power cables (might get a different pci power extender later for aesthetic purposes) and booted up. No driver install required on Win10. I'm using this exclusively for my Oculus Rift sensors and it works just fine. Just don't overdo it. I see a lot of people trying to connect everything to this and that's just not how you're supposed to hook up the Rift. Oculus themselves state that you should have no more than two sensors connected to a single USB controller. I have two sensors plugged into this, then the third sensor and the headset going into my motherboard via USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 respectively. This is how Oculus says you're supposed to do it and everything works wonderfully when you set it up this way.