USB 3.0 card for Mac Pro

[stephengilbert]

I just got a USB 3.0 PCI card for my Mac Pro, and it works! (Though it's worth a call to Sonnet to make sure you're using the preferred PCI slot.)

It's a Sonnet Allegro two port card. Easy to install, and inexpensive. $53 delivered from B&H.

 

[stephengilbert]

Oops. Update: having kernel panics. Never happened before card.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Look for a new driver. Might be the issue

 

[stephengilbert]

Yeah. I wiped the driver and reinstalled. So far, so good.

I just wanted to mention what was happening so no one bought the card on my recommendation and then had a problem.

 

[GrahamWelland]

Interesting - ill give it a try. Thanks Steve.

 

[etrigan63]

be sure it supports card readers. i bought a Highpoint Rocket Quad USB 3.0 and it only supports hard drives.

 

[stephengilbert]

It works with the Lexar CF/SD reader. The Sonnet support people were very helpful, and B&H is good about returns if there's a problem.

 

[wyip]

I have one of these Sonnet Allegro two port USB 3.0 cards for my Mac Pro as well, and it works well with the Kingston USB 3.0 card reader and my Western Digital 3TB USB 3.0 external disk. I had to uninstall/reinstall the latest driver from the Sonnet website after upgrading from 10.7 to 10.8, and you can really only use this card with USB 3.0 storage devices for some reason. Their website and documentation state that you can not use these ports with USB 1.1/2.0 devices including iPhones/iPads and it is also incompatible with USB hubs; but that's what the normal USB 2.0 ports are for I guess.