Dell Wyse 3040 $35 OBO
- Thread starter Abe87
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Yeah even cheap thin clients can't hold a candle to those USFF machines--except in power usage, but they're not powerful so they don't use much power! lol!
I have some of these and use DietPi and also OpenWRT. Cheap compared to a RPi (if you can find one) when you consider fully boxed with Power Supply. It is covered elsewhere, but I found that Linux boot doesn't like the 3040 serial port. For installs I use the grub edit function to remove all references to the serial port on the linux boot string. After install, edit the boot string in the grub.cfg or update-grub config file to fix it permanently. This page has some useful info including the default BIOS password: Install a New Linux OS On a Dell Wyse 3040
If you get any batteries from amazon be sure and check the dates on them, I've gotten old ones.
I usually get them from Costco if I can.
These don't take a normal CMOS battery. There is a couple of wires with a molex type connector on the end. Here is an example.
rometechcases.com
Seems like this isn't a standard molex connector. The space between the pins in the connector can vary. I think the Wyse 3040 needs one with a 1mm gap.
Was hoping someone had replaced theirs before. Don't really want to spend $11 on a CMOS battery for a computer I spent $25 on.
✩ RTC CMOS Battery for Dell Wyse 3040
【Shop now】 RTC CMOS Battery for Dell Wyse 3040 ✩ High quality ✩ Best price ✈ Free shipping on domestic orders ! ✔ Worldwide Delivery ☘ 1 Year Warranty ☎ 856-336-8157
rometechcases.com
Seems like this isn't a standard molex connector. The space between the pins in the connector can vary. I think the Wyse 3040 needs one with a 1mm gap.
Was hoping someone had replaced theirs before. Don't really want to spend $11 on a CMOS battery for a computer I spent $25 on.
If you have the old battery, cut the heatshrink on the battery, take a picture of the wires and the old battery to have a reference for later, write down which wire goes to which terminal, remove the heatshrink from the battery terminals, and detach the wires.These don't take a normal CMOS battery. There is a couple of wires with a molex type connector on the end. Here is an example.
✩ RTC CMOS Battery for Dell Wyse 3040
【Shop now】 RTC CMOS Battery for Dell Wyse 3040 ✩ High quality ✩ Best price ✈ Free shipping on domestic orders ! ✔ Worldwide Delivery ☘ 1 Year Warranty ☎ 856-336-8157
Seems like this isn't a standard molex connector. The space between the pins in the connector can vary. I think the Wyse 3040 needs one with a 1mm gap.
Was hoping someone had replaced theirs before. Don't really want to spend $11 on a CMOS battery for a computer I spent $25 on.
Get a 2032 battery with terminals (e.g. like this: https://www.amazon.com/EEMB-Lithium-Battery-Rechargeable-Replacement/dp/B0823SX8ZR), or a battery holder (e.g. like this: https://www.amazon.com/AEDIKO-CR2032-Battery-Storage-Container/dp/B0B7MFV6D1) and a battery, solder the wires with the connector to the battery, or to the wires from the holder.
Make sure that the positive and negative wires are not swapped. Reversing them will kill the board. Use the notes and the picture to double-check that you did not make a mistake.
Do not try to solder wires directly to the battery. It can explode.
Insulate the splices with electrical tape or heatshrink tube, insulate the battery if you don't use a holder, and you should be good to go.
If they're the standard 2032 (or whatever the number is), IKEA used to have a pack of 8 for $2. They probably won't have them at this price again, but the batteries were good and I've used them in at least 8 systems by now.
I'd check digikey and mouser for these. Should be able to find something there that's legit.These don't take a normal CMOS battery. There is a couple of wires with a molex type connector on the end. Here is an example.
✩ RTC CMOS Battery for Dell Wyse 3040
【Shop now】 RTC CMOS Battery for Dell Wyse 3040 ✩ High quality ✩ Best price ✈ Free shipping on domestic orders ! ✔ Worldwide Delivery ☘ 1 Year Warranty ☎ 856-336-8157
Seems like this isn't a standard molex connector. The space between the pins in the connector can vary. I think the Wyse 3040 needs one with a 1mm gap.
Was hoping someone had replaced theirs before. Don't really want to spend $11 on a CMOS battery for a computer I spent $25 on.
I cut the shrink plastic off, peeled the spot weld tabs off the dead battery without damaging the wires and connector. I taped the battery tabs onto a standard cell with foil tape and then wrapped the whole battery in a layer of electrical tape. Has worked for about a year so far...
I don't need this... I have two to three old Pi's sitting on the side of my bench collecting dust.
But for $35 this seems to be a good deal. Talk me into this. I have a pi as a wifi audio+apple dac for a stereo receiver. I have pi's and other thin clients sitting around idle... Don't need, kinda want, afraid it will sit on the side with the other stack of things
But for $35 this seems to be a good deal. Talk me into this. I have a pi as a wifi audio+apple dac for a stereo receiver. I have pi's and other thin clients sitting around idle... Don't need, kinda want, afraid it will sit on the side with the other stack of things
I like to think of this as more of a journey.. getting to mess around with the hardware and learning new things. you could always resell the devices if you wanted
I'm in the same boat with Pi's sitting and doing nothing though I also already have a few Wyse 3040s that are not currently in use as well.
What I like about the Wyse 3040 compared to Pi's, though, is that it isn't just a bare board. The Wyse 3040 (and similar mini x86 PCs/thin-clients) generally feel less "janky" to me than a Pi, USB Power adapter, Pi case, ect. Nothing extra is needed.
I wouldn't go out of my way to replace a Pi you have deployed with a 3040, but if you want a slightly cleaner setup it's certainty a great option.
I've installed Dietpi on one of mine. I was able to install it on the internal storage.
I'm tempted to get 5 of the terminals to use as "compute" nodes in a toy Open Stack cluster to learn the technology. Of course I could use VMs, but having real hardware to curse at when things don't work feels much more satisfying.I like to think of this as more of a journey.. getting to mess around with the hardware and learning new things. you could always resell the devices if you wanted
Received my 3 units. All were the 5V version. One each manufactured in 2017, 2018, 2019. The two newer units powered up but the older one did not. The batteries in the good units measured 3V and the bad unit measured 0V. I disconnected the battery and applied 3V to the connector and then it powered up when I pressed the button. All three units completed one pass of Memtest86+ booted from a thumb drive, as well as the built in diagnostics accessed from the F12 boot menu.
Unlike most thin clients and mini PCs, these things are EFI only. I tried to PXE boot a legacy BIOS image and it got as far as downloading the image before deciding it didn't want to execute it.
Unlike most thin clients and mini PCs, these things are EFI only. I tried to PXE boot a legacy BIOS image and it got as far as downloading the image before deciding it didn't want to execute it.