Another geek question

[Hawkmoon]

As the types of camera memory cards proliferate, I am tiring of swapping card readers, and dealing with quirky external multi-readers. Searching on-line shows me that there are affordable internal multi-card readers (which makes sense, since I've seen eMachines at Sam's Club and BJs that have 'em), but they all require a 9-pin USB header on the motherboard.

Our three aging desktop boxes are all Dell Dimensions dating back about ten years. Two are Dimension 4100s, the other is a slightly different model of similar vintage. Would anyone know if these motherboards have the required 9-pin USB header? The computers all have two USB 1.1 ports on the back of the case, if that makes a difference.

Anyone got a photo or a link showing what this 9-pin header looks like, should I decide to go exploring?

[RocketMan]

First of all, you want USB 2.0.  Get an add-on PCI card that supplies an internal USB 2.0 header or two.  Most of them also supply a couple of external USB 2.0 ports on the slot filler.  The card will fit in an available PCI slot on your motherboard.  You will have at least one empty PCI slot on a Dell PC; you might have two or more.
The internal header(s) on the card will be of the required 9 pin variety for the internal multireaders.
Also, USB 2.0 runs at 480MB/S, versus 12 MB/S for the USB 1.1.  Quite the improvement.
Good USB add-on cards can be had for less than $25 at Newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=usb+card+pci

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Can standard memory cards transfer data fast enough to benefit from USB 2.0?

[RocketMan]

Can standard memory cards transfer data fast enough to benefit from USB 2.0?

Yes.  They can't take full advantage of USB 2.0 speeds, but they can transfer a heck of a lot faster than USB 1.1.  It's worth the effort, especially if you have large capacity flash memory cards with large photos stored on them.