[ltp] Re: USB port colors, nonfunctional port on X220

[linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org]

Rubin Abdi <rubin <at> starset.net> writes:

> 
> I'm going to poke around a bit and figure out why Debian isn't seeing
> the USB 3 port tonight.
> 
> So the Wikipedia article actually has an X220 as it's main photo. :P
> 
> https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/USB_3.0
> 
> What's interesting is that the extra connector contacts I thought was
> part of the USB 3.0 spec isn't on this port at all. On the surface it
> looks just like a standard USB 1/2 port but blue. Example...
> 
> https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/File:Usb3.jpg
> 
> The yellow port on the other hand as these 4 blue slots within the tab
> of the port. I've attached a crappy camera phone photo (which I hope
> gets through moderation), anyone have an idea what those slots are?
> 

That appears to be an eSATA port (see for example
http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1,1239512). What is quite interesting is
that my X220-i7 does not have the same connector at all! The black and blue USB
ports on mine look exactly the same except for the color. Strange, I have never
heard anything about eSATA on the x220.

The blue USB is the USB 3.0 connector. To use it in linux, you need the xhci_hcd
kernel module loaded. It works fine on mine (using gentoo) although I have only
tried it with USB-2 devices.

Torsten