Lenovo Thinkcentre/ThinkStation Tiny (Project TinyMiniMicro) Reference Thread

[kayson]

Has someone managed to get both 4 disks in an external inclosure and the dual sfp+ NIC into a M720q?

You can fit a lot of NVMe. I think all these mods work on an M720q as well: https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/1ddkzja
For 3.5", you can either do M.2 to SATA, or use a USB 3/C enclosure. Or use a NAS. I ended up making my own: https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...helf-19in-4-bay-10in-2-bay.51319/#post-480466

 

[atflp]

Dear All,

I found something interesting on Taobao regarding Lenovo Tiny PCs.

This is a riser card for a P340 Tiny with two M.2 PCIE3.0X4 for nvme SSDs and a PCIE3.0X4 slot for a network card for example.



There is a link in the description where are some more interesting M920q/M910q/P3/P360 Ultra/P340/P350 projects.

 

[Halken]

I went ahead and ordered a 920x with 9500t, 16gb, 250gb nvme, as its an 35w part. The German refurbisher has removed the riser and is selling them for 40€ extra. I already paid 310€ for the 920x so like 110€ more than the 720. China to the rescue, as there was an ebay listing from a Chinese seller of the riser and backplate, for 25€ incl VAT & shipping to EU.

I will see if can fit the E810-DA2 in it and what power it will use as it was cheaper than a low idle x710-da2.

On the option for storage, if I go decide to go that way, I got the 920x so it comes with bigger PSU that can also power the HDs.

https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/1bnqirt
Such a drive cage or similar in EU.

Rosewill Internal Hard Drive Enclosure - 3 x 5.25" to 4 x 3.5" Hot-Swap Enclosure - SATA I/II/III/ & SAS HDD - RSV-SATA-Cage-34 - Newegg.ca

Buy Rosewill Internal Hard Drive Enclosure - 3 x 5.25" to 4 x 3.5" Hot-Swap Enclosure - SATA I/II/III/ & SAS HDD - RSV-SATA-Cage-34 with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.ca

And a mini pcie to sata like this.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007226116507.html

 

[totalfrequency]

Anyone try a pex switch for pcie expansion? I have a few in storage kicking around, may go hunting for them and see if it works. Kind of defeats the 1L purpose but I see a lot of you are adding external housings for drives and other things.

This is what I'm talking about -

PCIe Packet Switch Adapters - gen4

 

[inigomontoya]

Just adding a datapoint on M90q gen5. The M.2 A+E to NVMe adapter does work for the M.2 wifi slot, I was finding conflicting info online. Didn't try to boot from it, just using as storage but it works.

Using the "chenyang M.2(A+E Key) 2230MM to NVME M-Key Extension Card" one on Amazon - the short one with the arm that has screw holes for various sizes. The wifi card pokes towards the back.. adapter basically flips the interface the other way.. you do not need the ribbon cable version, 2280 fits fine.

Not sure if it would be out of the way of a riser+PCI card though, I don't use it. It looks like it might, but ribbon cable or angle version might be better there.

 

[unmesh]

The M920q doesn't support bifurcation which would be necessary if I wanted to connect to two NVMe x4 SSDs. Would it support a quad 2.5G PCIe x4 NIC, though, where each Ethernet controller chip is wired to a different PCIe lane?

I've seen conflicting information on whether bifurcation is or isn't needed and I'm hoping someone who has practical experience with this can report on their findings.

 

[joeribl]

The M920q doesn't support bifurcation which would be necessary if I wanted to connect to two NVMe x4 SSDs. Would it support a quad 2.5G PCIe x4 NIC, though, where each Ethernet controller chip is wired to a different PCIe lane?

I've seen conflicting information on whether bifurcation is or isn't needed and I'm hoping someone who has practical experience with this can report on their findings.

It requires soldering a modification GitHub - badger707/m920q-pcie-bifurcation: Lenovo M920Q PCIe x8 bifuration to x4x4

 

[unmesh]

It requires soldering a modification GitHub - badger707/m920q-pcie-bifurcation: Lenovo M920Q PCIe x8 bifuration to x4x4

Thanks, I will save that link for future use.

At this time, I'm wondering if a x4 card with 4 Ethernet PCIe x1 controllers connected to separate lanes will work without explicit bifurcation support

 

[scuppasteve]

I have a M90q Gen 3 with 16GB SK hynix 16GB HMCG78AGBSA095N-AA DDR5 5600MT/s, CL46, SO-DIMM, i am trying to upgrade the memory to 64GB (2x32GB) CT32G56C46S5. I keep getting the invalid memory beeps. I have updated the firmware to M4GKT36A/1.54 which says August of 2025. Any idea what i should try next?

 

[Spucke]

Ich würde mal Kingston Module probieren, habe selbst in meinem P350 Tiny die KF432S20IBK2/64 und die funktionieren problemlos. Sollte es auch für DDR5 geben.
VG

 

[Halken]

My M920Q arrived. Its tiny. Perfect for condo networking as it can be hidden anywhere. The riser is also on the way. As I will use it for 10gb router, I will mount a E810-DA2 in it.

Are there now way to get speed control/PMW/RMP monitoring on the second fan that will work with linux? Or just to have the NIC fan run in sync with the CPU fans?
Are there any blower fan with PWM in 40X40X10m?
I will order one of the Winsin if not.

 

[cronixxx]

Are there now way to get speed control/PMW/RMP monitoring on the second fan that will work with linux?

Looking at the schematics of the M920Q, there is a possibility to control a second fan. The connections are not brought out on the PCB but there are 2 test points for HDD_FAN_PWM_SIO and HDD_FAN_TACH_SIO.
But then I suppose the firmware of the NCT6686D should be made aware of this....

 

[goofy84]

Hello,
is there anywhere a schematic sheet for a p330 Tiny? Thanks in advance...

 

[PCSolution]

Hi there guys,

I have a P350 Tiny Model 30EF000EPG
I have already the two M.2 Slots with NVME disks but i need badly to add another NVME.
I have an expensive big NVME 22110 which I can't return, so it would be awesome if I can add it do the P350 Tiny.
I was thinking about adding the riser 5C50W00877 and then adding a PCIe 4.0 X4 adapter to M.2 NVMe 22110.
Would it work and if so, would it fit?
Thanks in advance guys.

 

[Antioch]

I'd like a Lenovo Tiny with a relatively newer CPU (Intel 12th Gen would be great - looks like M90Q Gen3 would fit the bill) but I'd like to mod it to be able to use all of the PCIe lanes. I'm wondering if there are any newer tinys that are known to have pbie bifurcation mods with compatible risers?

It looks like the tiny6 has one GitHub - qq8322302/Tiny6-P340-pcie-bifurcation-expansion-card: Lenovo Tiny6 P340 PCIE Bifurcation Expansion Card but I'd prefer12th Gen (want the newer integrated graphics with SR-IOV to share the device in proxmox)

Thanks.

 

[WifiCable]

I'd like a Lenovo Tiny with a relatively newer CPU (Intel 12th Gen would be great - looks like M90Q Gen3 would fit the bill) but I'd like to mod it to be able to use all of the PCIe lanes. I'm wondering if there are any newer tinys that are known to have pbie bifurcation mods with compatible risers?

It looks like the tiny6 has one GitHub - qq8322302/Tiny6-P340-pcie-bifurcation-expansion-card: Lenovo Tiny6 P340 PCIE Bifurcation Expansion Card but I'd prefer12th Gen (want the newer integrated graphics with SR-IOV to share the device in proxmox)

Thanks.

Unfortunately Intel removed the ability to bifurcate the CPU lanes to x8x4x4 on 12th, 13th and 14th generation, so it's not possible to bifurcate the riser slot on Tinies based on those generations. The most you could get on those machines is the x8 CPU link and the x4 PCH link. In theory on the latest Core Ultra 200 based models it should be possible again, once someone figures out the new soft-strap based bifurcation config.

 

[Antioch]

Unfortunately Intel removed the ability to bifurcate the CPU lanes to x8x4x4 on 12th, 13th and 14th generation...

Thank you for the information. I did not know that. What a shame. Especially since there's a big leap in IGP performance from 10th to 11th gen, but for some reason 11th gen (rocket lake) has neither SR-IOV or GTV-g.

Oddly, tiger lake (11th gen mobile) has SR-IOV. Come on, Intel.

I was hoping to have the IGP run double-duty between jellyfin encodes (VAAPI) and immich facial detection (OpenVINO). Without SR-IOV or GTV-g I guess that means I would have to run them as LXCs (or privileged dockers) with /dev/dri mounted?

Are there any reported successes and/or instructions for Tiny7 (M90q Gen2, Core Gen 10/11) bifurcation mods out there?

 

[unmesh]

This is a very interesting use case for me, so much so that I'd be willing to forgo PCIe bifurcation especially if it works with Proxmox

 

[WifiCable]

Thank you for the information. I did not know that. What a shame. Especially since there's a big leap in IGP performance from 10th to 11th gen, but for some reason 11th gen (rocket lake) has neither SR-IOV or GTV-g.

Oddly, tiger lake (11th gen mobile) has SR-IOV. Come on, Intel.

I was hoping to have the IGP run double-duty between jellyfin encodes (VAAPI) and immich facial detection (OpenVINO). Without SR-IOV or GTV-g I guess that means I would have to run them as LXCs (or privileged dockers) with /dev/dri mounted?

Are there any reported successes and/or instructions for Tiny7 (M90q Gen2, Core Gen 10/11) bifurcation mods out there?

I've been looking into riser slot bifurcation possibilities on all generations, and on Tiny7 (M90q gen 2/P350) it isn't possible either, since the bottom side NVMe slots are actually connected to the CPU lanes (for PCIe 4.0 support), meaning it's already using x8x4x4 bifurcation with the x8 going to the riser slot and the x4x4 going to the NVMe slots. The newest generation that you could get bifurcation on right now would be Tiny6, until someone figures out TIny11.

 

[WifiCable]

Tiny7 offers a much more interesting option though, with the 3rd NVMe slot footprint present on the top side of the motherboard. There isn't any documented guide on how to get it working yet, but it's something that's on my todo list to work out and publish intructions for.