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Lenovo Thinkcentre/ThinkStation Tiny (Project TinyMiniMicro) Reference Thread

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evil_santa

Member
Apr 16, 2023
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Nozle said:
This is the first thing I did.

I downloaded the M90Q Gen 4 BIOS for USB (.zip), unzipped everything to a USB drive, and completely disconnected the computer.

Then I set the jumper to Clear CMOS (center pins). The computer turned on, but there were no beeps or anything on the screen. After 20 seconds, it shuts off.

I don't know if I actually did something wrong or if the maintenance jumper isn't correct.
Click to expand...
You can send also send a picture from the Jumper position and I can tell if it's the right.
 
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evil_santa

Member
Apr 16, 2023
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Yes 2-4 is the right one.
Hmm then things are getting complicated.
Can you remove anything unnecessary?
Only CPU and ram nothing else, something blocking the boot up
Maybe try another ram also.
 
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Nozle

Member
Jul 16, 2024
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Which usb port is correct? I've tried several or almost all of them, but I don't know which one is correct.

I'm also not sure the jumper is correct. 2-4 is okay?
 
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Nozle

Member
Jul 16, 2024
62
1
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evil_santa said:
Yes 2-4 is the right one.
Hmm then things are getting complicated.
Can you remove anything unnecessary?
Only CPU and ram nothing else, something blocking the boot up
Maybe try another ram also.
Click to expand...
nothing is connected just usb, screen and power.
 
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evil_santa

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Apr 16, 2023
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Nozle

Member
Jul 16, 2024
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Anyway, I have doubts about the maintenance mode indicated in the manual. Are you sure it's CMOS CLEAR and not another combination?
 
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evil_santa

Member
Apr 16, 2023
90
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Nozle said:
Anyway, I have doubts about the maintenance mode indicated in the manual. Are you sure it's CMOS CLEAR and not another combination?
Click to expand...
On any older machines like tiny 4 and 5 these is the right one.
I wouldn't believe he changed it on a newer machine.

If you can't find a solution you can also ask on Badcaps forum for a bios fix.
But you need to dump your bios.
 
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Nozle

Member
Jul 16, 2024
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I don't currently have a programmer of any kind, well, I think it's a CH341, but nothing more...

This Lenovo BIOS update is really a pain in the ass. Despite having a dual BIOS, I don't know how it can be so difficult to recover it in a simple way. I don't think the procedure is properly implemented or described in their manual (they talk about maintenance mode, but what kind of garbage is that? Is maintenance mode actually Clear CMOS? Why don't they call it by its name then?)
 
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DagB

New Member
Apr 13, 2025
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Parallax said:
Heyo. I'm still around, just lazy on the updates because my job has been significantly busy over the past couple of years.

Splitting the post up into multiples covering the different Tiny gens (for example) would involve some complexity because there's a lot of commonality between the models, and a lot of work. But it's possible, sure. I'd worry that gen 3 onwards seem to be used a lot less comparatively, at least in terms of post volume I've seen, so those threads might not get much traction.
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Bit of a chicken and egg thing. The first post not mentioning the m910x at all made me completely unaware that there were even cheaper devices around with a PCIE-riser. Until now. But pre-coffee-lake stuff *is* getting a bit old now.



Parallax said:
On the same sort of topic it seems like the Mx20q series remains the most popular. I could split the newer models off into a new thread, that might be easier but doesn't solve the issue of the size of this thread.

I could build a whole site with a forum just to discuss Tinys, but there's been a lot of benefit visibility-wise from being on STH and I feel grateful for that.

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

First and foremost, I'd like to thank you for curating all this info. It is very, very much appreciated.

If (!) you want input about how to improve the first post, I'd suggest :

Move the content to a github repo. A simple markdown file may allow for simpler contribution to content and 'curation'. Much easier to just edit the markdown and submit a PR on github.

'tablifying' the PCIe-cards- what cards fits (and what device they do fit in) and add in specific card models, dimensions, power consumption numbers and ASPM capabilitites. Links to firmware upgrades (files and procedures).

Also, there are now designs for at least three different non-Lenovo risers, with various benefits. Links to github repos and tindie pages.

I think having all of this info in a single page is better than split up.
 
E

evil_santa

Member
Apr 16, 2023
90
35
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DagB said:
Bit of a chicken and egg thing. The first post not mentioning the m910x at all made me completely unaware that there were even cheaper devices around with a PCIE-riser. Until now. But pre-coffee-lake stuff *is* getting a bit old now.






First and foremost, I'd like to thank you for curating all this info. It is very, very much appreciated.

If (!) you want input about how to improve the first post, I'd suggest :

Move the content to a github repo. A simple markdown file may allow for simpler contribution to content and 'curation'. Much easier to just edit the markdown and submit a PR on github.

'tablifying' the PCIe-cards- what cards fits (and what device they do fit in) and add in specific card models, dimensions, power consumption numbers and ASPM capabilitites. Links to firmware upgrades (files and procedures).

Also, there are now designs for at least three different non-Lenovo risers, with various benefits. Links to github repos and tindie pages.

I think having all of this info in a single page is better than split up.
Click to expand...
Good idea had the same.
Maybe we can use it together with the repo from a little WiFi?
github.com

GitHub - a-little-wifi/TinySecrets: Technical information about small 1L Lenovo, Dell, HP and Acer PCs

Technical information about small 1L Lenovo, Dell, HP and Acer PCs - a-little-wifi/TinySecrets
github.com github.com
 
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flame7487

New Member
Jul 10, 2022
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The one-person editing of the first post by Parallax is GREAT. Very rational (although subjective) does not require reporting numerous corrections. Its current update (even if only the dates - "already seen") would indicate the constant presence of the owner (supervisor) of the thread.
HUGE advantage of the thread is publicity (number of participants), different level of technical sophistication, numerous links, ease of access and culture.
The disadvantage is the chaos (no order, no tree structure, like in a trash can), numerous private threads - sometimes remarkably interesting, although foreign to me - litter the thread, numerous returns to basic questions (easier to call than to find), voluminousness makes it difficult to search for specifics - need to create an index for the thread, subject gaps - for example - no UPS 20V, power for HomeLab (Spanish experience).
 
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Jalo_palo

New Member
Apr 20, 2025
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Hi all,

I just attempted to flash my BIOS of my Lenovo P360 Tiny. I had a power outage, and now the computer won't even turn itself back on. I unplugged everything, and plugged the power back, but the power indicator is blinking (then blinks faster) - without it even turning itself fully on.

I am guessing this is a failed BIOS update. How do I save it?

Edit: I don't seem to have the serial number sticker on the machine, is there another sticker on the mobo?
 
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C

cromo

Active Member
Jun 6, 2019
116
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cromo said:
Does anyone have an m920q/x with Coreboot and can confirm whether or not the PCI adapter NIC has its interfaces in separate IOMMU groups?
Click to expand...
I am gonna answer myself here: coreboot has nothing to do with it, it's down to ACS not being supported by Intel consumer CPUs. However, there's a potential of using PCH lane here, see: An opportunity to fix IOMMU grouping here for PCI devices · Issue #19 · j4cbo/tiny5-m2-riser

With this riser, it would be possible to get independent IOMMU groups for each NIC on the card.
 
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