Drag to reposition cover

Lenovo Thinkcentre/ThinkStation Tiny (Project TinyMiniMicro) Reference Thread

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

WifiCable

Member
Dec 18, 2023
62
88
18
Netherlands
@WifiCable are you aware of any 3D printable models that can help secure the NVMe drive connected to your Tiny5 riser?
I don't know of any no. The riser has some slots on it that one could mount to in theory, but I never designed one, don't have a 3D printer. If you find or make one info about it would be very welcome!
 
  • Like
Reactions: sw1

besseddrest

Member
May 14, 2025
34
15
8
Is anyone offering 3D prints for baffles? I'd be interested in two baffles that would fit a QNAP-QXG-2G4T-i225 for an M920q. The "standard" 4 port baffle is not the right size and despite my impressive dremel skills, I'd prefer to have something that is a better fit.
interesting cause i have the 4 port mini DP issue on mine as well - I just have to settle to use 1 that is aligned

you might wanna try ebay because i bought one from a user who sells 3d printed ones for DP + HDMI, though he might do commissioned ones if you just ask - I have a feeling that person is also ITG Gear on YouTube
 

notsonewbie

New Member
Dec 8, 2025
2
1
3
Hey all,

I'm new to STH and wanted to give a shout out to all those that contributed to this thread; the information has been invaluable.

I've bought two P330s (i7 8700, 16gb of ram, 256gb nvme via Lenovo ThinkStation P330 Tiny Desktop Intel i7 8700 3.2GHz 16GB RAM 256GB Win 11 (Renewed): Minis: Amazon.com.au)

I'm looking to add in a NIC (Note: network is only 1gbe, so going to 10gbe is pointless) and wanted to confirm with people if I'm right on which ones are fakes and which ones are real - based on the pictures:

Real:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005009667853014.html (2.5gbps but somehow cheaper than 1gbps)

Fakes:
Pardon our interruption... (It's dell but something about it doesn't look right)

If someone has a different trusted supplier that might be cheaper and ship to AUS, I'd love to hear about it. I've also looked at Realtek cards such as https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004557369503.html but there's not a whole lot of compatibility information online (mostly reddit, sth and personal blogs) about their use.

I'm also thinking about buying this riser: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/365446848614 which looks like it'll do the job.

Any help or thoughts would be much appreciated!

Cheers
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: treg

Nozle

Member
Jul 16, 2024
83
3
8
I'm not using the x16 riser anymore.

My X710-DA2 NIC is x8, but the riser is only x4, so the NIC won't fit.

To make the NIC fit, I cut a groove in the riser's PCIe connector, so the extra lanes of the NIC stick out the side:

View attachment 46162


It's a real hack job:

View attachment 46163


The NIC then uses just the four lanes:

Code:
# lspci -vv -s 01:00.0 | grep -i LnkSta
LnkSta: Speed 16GT/s, Width x4 LnkSta2: Current De-emphasis Level: -6dB, EqualizationComplete+ EqualizationPhase1+
So I did this, and my X710 DA2 now reaches C10 on both Lenovo M90Q Gen 4 and 5.

I'm wondering if x4 will be enough for this card, or if I'm blocking and limiting it.

It seems the Lenovo x8 riser doesn't allow it to go beyond C2 for some reason. Now, with the modified Lenovo x4 riser, as you suggested, it reaches C10 effortlessly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: wiggy and Gr3yh0und

CoAXx

New Member
Jan 9, 2024
2
1
3
Does anybody here got any experience with this card?






card.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: notsonewbie

WifiCable

Member
Dec 18, 2023
62
88
18
Netherlands
Does anybody here got any experience with this card?






View attachment 46814
This is a fun one, I considered making one like that myself as well but didn't have the time to, so I'm glad someone else made it real (though it would've been nice if the source files were available). It makes use of the fact that PCIe lanes from the Intel PCH can be reconfigured in firmware (I have an explanation about that here, though it seems they streamlined the flashing process for this specific adapter and platform).

In this case it's splitting the x4 link into 4 x1 links and using a clock buffer to split the refclk to the 4 slots. That gets you 4 drives running at PCIe 3.0 x1 off of the PCH, so up to just under 1GB/s per drive, and you still have the full PCIe x8 slot from the CPU as well (though with the SSDs installed you won't have much space lol).

It's a pretty cool riser in theory. I haven't seen it in practical use, but I imagine it works just fine. Seems to be using an extra buck converter to run the SSDs off of the beefier 12V rail so there should be no concerns about going over the tiny's onboard 3.3V regulator's limit, it just counts to the maximum total shared with the 12V for the PCIe slot now.
 

Lurifx

New Member
Dec 9, 2025
2
0
1
Earlier this spring i won an auction for a M920x and just now got around to play around with the machine. I'v installed 2 nvme drives already but i'm wondering if it's possible to use the wifi slot with an A/E key adapter to have as a boot device for Proxmox, if yes what is a known good adapter that is working. Would also like to expand with more nvme devices, preferably 2 of them. While trying to search this up i'v found that i need a PCI-E adapter, this is the right one i think 01AJ940. Will i have to do some kind of mod to the motherboard for something like this to work?
 

notsonewbie

New Member
Dec 8, 2025
2
1
3
Earlier this spring i won an auction for a M920x and just now got around to play around with the machine. I'v installed 2 nvme drives already but i'm wondering if it's possible to use the wifi slot with an A/E key adapter to have as a boot device for Proxmox, if yes what is a known good adapter that is working. Would also like to expand with more nvme devices, preferably 2 of them. While trying to search this up i'v found that i need a PCI-E adapter, this is the right one i think 01AJ940. Will i have to do some kind of mod to the motherboard for something like this to work?

You'll need a PCIE A/E key -> M Key, something like this; M.2 Nvme SSD Convert Adapter, M.2 A E WiFi Port PCIe 4.0 M Key Nvme SSD Convert Card, M.2 NGFF M Key SSD Convert Card for Nvme SSD : Amazon.com.au: Computers

Make sure you buy it from somewhere with a great return policy - I'm talking about 7 days, no questions asked, return it.


You could also try and find a direct A/E key NVME drive like this one; Industrial M.2 2230 (A+E key) Embedded Module - T425 but I hear they're extremely difficult - and costly - to source and be warned.. they will be slow - I'm pretty sure it only uses 2 PCIe lanes but don't @ me.


And yes, that's right PCI-E Riser Adapter.
 
Last edited:

Lurifx

New Member
Dec 9, 2025
2
0
1
You'll need a PCIE A/E key -> M Key, something like this; M.2 Nvme SSD Convert Adapter, M.2 A E WiFi Port PCIe 4.0 M Key Nvme SSD Convert Card, M.2 NGFF M Key SSD Convert Card for Nvme SSD : Amazon.com.au: Computers

Make sure you buy it from somewhere with a great return policy - I'm talking about 7 days, no questions asked, return it.


You could also try and find a direct A/E key NVME drive like this one; Industrial M.2 2230 (A+E key) Embedded Module - T425 but I hear they're extremely difficult - and costly - to source and be warned.. they will be slow - I'm pretty sure it only uses 2 PCIe lanes but don't @ me.


And yes, that's right PCI-E Riser Adapter.
Got the PCIE A/E key on order and a disk for it. Would the drive be to slow for using as the vm drive as well? Using a SSD today for the boot device and storage for vm's. Will probably have the stuff by friday so i can test then but still curious.
 

Gr3yh0und

New Member
Oct 25, 2025
10
2
3
Got another x8 riser for my P3G2/M90Q Gen6 and neither X710/XVV710 are recognized by it. It stops in C1 though, so it seems to be "present".

With the x4 riser both are fine, but C2 is max. Seems like Arrow Lake in the Tiny doesn't go lower :( - Sad. Need to accept this now or look for a Gen 5 as the prior generation seems to support that.
 

wiggy

New Member
Dec 25, 2021
13
7
3
So I did this, and my X710 DA2 now reaches C10 on both Lenovo M90Q Gen 4 and 5.

I'm wondering if x4 will be enough for this card, or if I'm blocking and limiting it.

It seems the Lenovo x8 riser doesn't allow it to go beyond C2 for some reason. Now, with the modified Lenovo x4 riser, as you suggested, it reaches C10 effortlessly.
PCIE 4 x4 is a bit under 8 gigabytes per second, each way at the same time, so the X710 is fine.
 

akariii

New Member
Oct 16, 2023
6
1
3
Anyone know the pin out for the CPU fan connector on an m720q/m920q? I'm trying to adapt a 4 pin pwm fan to it and am unsure and don't want to burn something out.

I know it's a 4 pin picoblade 1.25 connector but that's about it
 

WifiCable

Member
Dec 18, 2023
62
88
18
Netherlands
Anyone know the pin out for the CPU fan connector on an m720q/m920q? I'm trying to adapt a 4 pin pwm fan to it and am unsure and don't want to burn something out.

I know it's a 4 pin picoblade 1.25 connector but that's about it
Looks like the pinout is the same as a standard 4-pin PC fan, just a smaller connector

Pin 1: Ground
Pin 2: 12V
Pin 3: Tacho
Pin 4: PWM

1765664856377.png
The pin numbers 1 and 4 are written on the board next to the connector so you can tell the orientation.
 

akariii

New Member
Oct 16, 2023
6
1
3
Looks like the pinout is the same as a standard 4-pin PC fan, just a smaller connector

Pin 1: Ground
Pin 2: 12V
Pin 3: Tacho
Pin 4: PWM

View attachment 46856
The pin numbers 1 and 4 are written on the board next to the connector so you can tell the orientation.
Hmm I'm seeing conflicting info. Found a source that say the ground and 12 are switched for the cpu fan and also found someone's video for the fan where pins 1 and 2 and then 3 and 4 are switched. Might have to test it myself with a multimeter. Thank you
 

Moxivus

New Member
Oct 22, 2024
2
0
1
Is anyone offering 3D prints for baffles? I'd be interested in two baffles that would fit a QNAP-QXG-2G4T-i225 for an M920q. The "standard" 4 port baffle is not the right size and despite my impressive dremel skills, I'd prefer to have something that is a better fit.
sent to a dm. I’m happy to give it a shot.
 

Moxivus

New Member
Oct 22, 2024
2
0
1
I don't know of any no. The riser has some slots on it that one could mount to in theory, but I never designed one, don't have a 3D printer. If you find or make one info about it would be very welcome!
@WifiCable

I’d be happy to take a shot at designing one. Happy to provide the files once we have something that works, and I can print a few samples as well.
Shoot me a message.
 

sw1

New Member
Sep 14, 2023
29
8
3
This is a fun one, I considered making one like that myself as well but didn't have the time to, so I'm glad someone else made it real (though it would've been nice if the source files were available). It makes use of the fact that PCIe lanes from the Intel PCH can be reconfigured in firmware (I have an explanation about that here, though it seems they streamlined the flashing process for this specific adapter and platform).

In this case it's splitting the x4 link into 4 x1 links and using a clock buffer to split the refclk to the 4 slots. That gets you 4 drives running at PCIe 3.0 x1 off of the PCH, so up to just under 1GB/s per drive, and you still have the full PCIe x8 slot from the CPU as well (though with the SSDs installed you won't have much space lol).

It's a pretty cool riser in theory. I haven't seen it in practical use, but I imagine it works just fine. Seems to be using an extra buck converter to run the SSDs off of the beefier 12V rail so there should be no concerns about going over the tiny's onboard 3.3V regulator's limit, it just counts to the maximum total shared with the 12V for the PCIe slot now.
On a P330 that’s 6 total drives (7 accounting for the WiFi slot). With a short 2x10GbE SFP+ NIC you can make a full Proxmox virtualization host with a NAS without modifying the case. 4 NVMe drives in RAID10 or something like that for the NAS and the NIC on the custom riser, WiFi slot for the boot drive and two mirrored NVMe drives on the stock slots for the Proxmox VMs

That’s pretty much my setup these days. I have 4 SAS drives though connected to an HBA card but it’s a mid tower case so like 20 times the size so it’s a fair compromise for some people to be able to fit all that in a much smaller device (specially considering how small living spaces are becoming these days).
 

suryaya

New Member
Dec 10, 2025
2
3
3
I'm curious if something like this will work with the M710Q?
Well, after reading more, I saw no reason it wouldn't work. Sharing in case anyone else finds this helpful, since this is a really easy way to fit a full size ssd

I bought an A+E key adapter that was able to mount the m.2 device the opposite way. See pic:

1765779191132.png

Then I inserted my 2280 m.2 SSD:

1765779225800.png

Are there any repercussions to this? The ssd is just sitting there on top of the other electrical components. The backside of the SSD is just the green solder mask which should insulate the components. It's not really moving around either — the blue pin from the opposite side of the board which secures the other SSD from the primary slot also happens to sit right against the edge of this preventing it from popping out. One pin two SSDs lol.

Anyway, debian detected right away. I was able to list the contents and format it to ext4. I also ran a write test with fio and got a speed of 1928MB/s. I'm going to host a seafile container on there and will report back.

EDIT: A week in and no issues so far. I am using this SSD to sync my files using syncthing. I also have a daily job that reads and copies the entire disk for backup. So no issues with read/write.
 
Last edited: