Lenovo Thinkcentre/ThinkStation Tiny (Project TinyMiniMicro) Reference Thread
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can i power lenovo tiny5 by 24v power supply? i am pretty sure that 65w stock psu is more than enough since i did run it at 65w before switching to 135w. i did need atleast some option that has a correct prongs so it has a ground connection (to connect to PDU) and nothing but 135w was available at a time. don't really care for 'performance bump' it might have with 135w.
i might have a spare of meanwell uhp-200-24 and could use it here to power atleast three m920x/p330 machines at the same time.
i might have a spare of meanwell uhp-200-24 and could use it here to power atleast three m920x/p330 machines at the same time.
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up to i9 9900 is supported. 65w psu works fine with 9900t variant and no need use different heatsink
Hey folks! I'm planning on buying a M920x to host a few services (website, bitwarden, music streaming and so on).
I eyed a SKU with 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD and i7 8700 CPU - which should be plenty for my uses - for about 500 euros shipped.
I was wondering if it's possible to add more storage in the form of a PCIe card with 1/2 extra m.2 slots - IIRC this feature requires PCIe bifurcation support from the chipset, but I can't find any info confirming or denying support: does anybody have experience with a similar setup?
More generally, is the M920x still a good choice nowadays for around 5-600 euros budget?
Thanks!
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EDIT
Welp, I should look better next time.
The Intel page about the Q370 chipset says:
I eyed a SKU with 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD and i7 8700 CPU - which should be plenty for my uses - for about 500 euros shipped.
I was wondering if it's possible to add more storage in the form of a PCIe card with 1/2 extra m.2 slots - IIRC this feature requires PCIe bifurcation support from the chipset, but I can't find any info confirming or denying support: does anybody have experience with a similar setup?
More generally, is the M920x still a good choice nowadays for around 5-600 euros budget?
Thanks!
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EDIT
Welp, I should look better next time.
The Intel page about the Q370 chipset says:
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5 to 600 euros? for 5 euros for sure. 200 bucks naked machine too.
i wouldn't pay 500 euros for i7 8700 + 32gb ram.
i9 9900t es costs 130$~ from china or other sellers and is much better choice
512gb ssd is cheap and it is an old used ssd. you can pick 4tb for 160-200$~ depending on sale.
32gb ram too. 150$ is 2x32gb ram now. new. seen multiple times crucial kits go to 105-110$~ at bhphotovideo.
as for bifurcation - there was people discussing here hardmods and if none of the hardmods is applicable or you don't want to do them - there is dual nvme hba that has plx chip on them. you can shop around for used one since new would cost a lot
Ha! Missed a couple zero's.
This seems to be the best price I'm able to find in EU for refurb machines.
I can get a lower-specced machine (256GB SSD, 8GB RAM) for 329 euros and then a 64GB kit, wonder if it's worth though considering it comes with the 65w power supply.
The M920x does have 2 m.2 slots already, and apparently the chipset supports 2x8 and 2x4 bifurcation, so maybe adding a 2x m.2 card without a plx chip is actually feasible?as for bifurcation - there was people discussing here hardmods and if none of the hardmods is applicable or you don't want to do them - there is dual nvme hba that has plx chip on them. you can shop around for used one since new would cost a lot
> This seems to be the best price I'm able to find in EU for refurb machines.
most likely no one 'refurbishes' them.
try looking for used one.
> I can get a lower-specced machine (256GB SSD, 8GB RAM) for 329 euros and then a 64GB kit, wonder if it's worth though considering it comes with the 65w power supply.
130w power supply is 10-20$~ and not strictly necessary. i would shop around or ask seller to sell barebone machine
> The M920x does have 2 m.2 slots already, and apparently the chipset supports 2x8 and 2x4 bifurcation, so maybe adding a 2x m.2 card without a plx chip is actually feasible?
maybe, look at the posts people did here and github page about m720q and m920q to dual m2 conversion.
most likely no one 'refurbishes' them.
try looking for used one.
> I can get a lower-specced machine (256GB SSD, 8GB RAM) for 329 euros and then a 64GB kit, wonder if it's worth though considering it comes with the 65w power supply.
130w power supply is 10-20$~ and not strictly necessary. i would shop around or ask seller to sell barebone machine
> The M920x does have 2 m.2 slots already, and apparently the chipset supports 2x8 and 2x4 bifurcation, so maybe adding a 2x m.2 card without a plx chip is actually feasible?
maybe, look at the posts people did here and github page about m720q and m920q to dual m2 conversion.
Where are you from (I'm from Germany)
M920q bifurcation mod is here. (I can do this mid if necessary)
GitHub - badger707/m920q-pcie-bifurcation: Lenovo M920Q PCIe x8 bifuration to x4x4
Lenovo M920Q PCIe x8 bifuration to x4x4. Contribute to badger707/m920q-pcie-bifurcation development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
Also a i9900 es 65 Watt version
I think I saw M920q on taobao for around 150-200 EUR when I searched for them. But I didn't find M920x or any more recent models, if that makes any difference for you. I personally wanted M920x so found some used ones locally in the end. I think going with M920q for cheaper price make sense if the model fits your needs and if the shipping+tax doesn't increase the total price too much (never really bought anything from taobao so IDK really how it works, but on aliexpress I'm always getting taxed on the whole price including the shipping costs which is just ...)
Even though I've seen M920x listed for 500+ EUR on ebay (depending on specs), I would probably not buy one myself for more than 300+/-.
You didn't find much Lenovo Tinys on Taobao or AliExpress.
But you can find many of them on xianyu/idlefish (Chinese second hand platform) for really good prices.
You need to use an agent service, the agent buy this stuff for you and send it to you.
I prefer Pandabuy more then super buy (never payed taxes or import duties, but )
Currency is Chinese yuan.
But you can find many of them on xianyu/idlefish (Chinese second hand platform) for really good prices.
You need to use an agent service, the agent buy this stuff for you and send it to you.
I prefer Pandabuy more then super buy (never payed taxes or import duties, but )
Currency is Chinese yuan.
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It seems I have the same problem as @cromo,
I recently was looking for a Mellanox to put inside my Lenovo m920q. While browsing, I found the ConnectX-4 model number MCX4121A-ACAT ConnectX-4 Lx CX4121A.
it seems the same price and newer model while supporting sfp28. Therefore, I got this ConnectX-4 via eBay.
When I tested it in a Supermicro server, the ConnectX-4 functions and works perfectly. Also, It is being recognized by Ubuntu and takes a DHCP lease.
However, when I put it inside the m920q, the Tiny won't boot, it does not post video. Its lights power on, and the CPU fan doesn't start.
So, the m920q doesn't work only when the card is installed.
On the contrary, if I put any other PCIE card in there, it works fine.
For example, the SAS 9207-8e card works fine in there.
I was just wondering @cromo if you have any progress, with yours?
Brainstorming? Is it probably incompatible for any reason? Or is the PCIE version not supported? This card seems to be PCIE 3.0 and x8. It should be supported in this Lenovo. Probably the card is damaged in some way? I don't know.
EDIT: I also tried: PRSNT PIN connecting hack but it did not work.
I'm not getting any results in Pandabuy either. I can find some M920q but not M920x or P330/-40/ or higher
Do you search directly via pandabuy or do you search on the Chinese websites directly and then use pandabuy to order the stuff?
Nevermind, I see now how that works on pandabuy - you give them a link to a product and description, and they purchase it for you.
I'll maybe look into it if I need more Tiny's in the future, but for now I'm set
Thanks for the tip anyways
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Anyone here put an a2000 or a4000 sff graphics card in their tiny? I'm taking the plunge now and curious how others have cooled
The a2000 can absolutely be fit. They're on Chinese forums for a while. The a4000 seems like it will with the new Ada sff model but I've not seen it in the wild.
A modified a2000 single slot
Modded my m720Q with second M2 Slot for 2280 ssd. Works fine, if anyone is interested I can do it for you (I'm from Germany)
Modded my m720Q with second M2 Slot for 2280 ssd. Works fine, if anyone is interested I can do it for you (I'm from Germany)
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More results from my journey to add an M.2 USB card:
From before:
Both USB cards worked on the bifurcated M920q with the passive PCIe x8 M.2 socket.
Neither USB card worked with the PH45 PCIe x8 to dual M.2 sockets.
So I thought I'd try a different "TISHRIC" PCIe x8 to dual M.2 socket card as it was only £8 on AliExpress.
Even less success this time: neither USB card is recognised in either slot with this other card.
Even worse: most of the time it didn't even recognise an NVMe drive!
The M920q really doesn't like the ASM3142-based USB card as quite often it doesn't boot.
Lights come on, CPU fan spins, but no video, etc. - much like other people have reported for other PCIe cards above.
Is the M920q really that fussy about the type of PCIe cards being installed?
The M920q does eventually boot after restarting using the power button about 6 or 7 times.
The Lenovo whitelist issue came to mind so I tried setting Machine Type & Model and Serial to "INVALID" but that didn't cure anything.
Finally, an A+E-key to M-key adapter arrived today so I plugged that into the M2_WLAN socket tried the USB cards with that.
Again, absolutely no recognition of either USB card.
My A+E-key RealTek8125 network card works in the M2_WLAN socket with no issues so doubt it's whitelist-related.
This buying and waiting for adapters from China gets expensive and time-consuming real fast!
I guess these USB cards simply aren't happy with clock-buffer-only bifurcation cards.
Somehow they only work with NVMe drives!?
The last option remaining is an ASM2182-based card with real PCI bridging, albeit that the 2nd NVMe would only have PCIe x2.
That should even work in the non-bifurcated M720q.
Anyone want to buy an M920q with bifurcation resistors applied so the PCIe slot is x4x4 (not x8)?
From before:
Both USB cards worked on the bifurcated M920q with the passive PCIe x8 M.2 socket.
Neither USB card worked with the PH45 PCIe x8 to dual M.2 sockets.
So I thought I'd try a different "TISHRIC" PCIe x8 to dual M.2 socket card as it was only £8 on AliExpress.
Even less success this time: neither USB card is recognised in either slot with this other card.
Even worse: most of the time it didn't even recognise an NVMe drive!
The M920q really doesn't like the ASM3142-based USB card as quite often it doesn't boot.
Lights come on, CPU fan spins, but no video, etc. - much like other people have reported for other PCIe cards above.
Is the M920q really that fussy about the type of PCIe cards being installed?
The M920q does eventually boot after restarting using the power button about 6 or 7 times.
The Lenovo whitelist issue came to mind so I tried setting Machine Type & Model and Serial to "INVALID" but that didn't cure anything.
Finally, an A+E-key to M-key adapter arrived today so I plugged that into the M2_WLAN socket tried the USB cards with that.
Again, absolutely no recognition of either USB card.
My A+E-key RealTek8125 network card works in the M2_WLAN socket with no issues so doubt it's whitelist-related.
This buying and waiting for adapters from China gets expensive and time-consuming real fast!
I guess these USB cards simply aren't happy with clock-buffer-only bifurcation cards.
Somehow they only work with NVMe drives!?
The last option remaining is an ASM2182-based card with real PCI bridging, albeit that the 2nd NVMe would only have PCIe x2.
That should even work in the non-bifurcated M720q.
Anyone want to buy an M920q with bifurcation resistors applied so the PCIe slot is x4x4 (not x8)?
Can you share pictures? and probably a tutorial on how to Add the second M2 Slot for 2280 SSD into the m720Q?
That would be interesting.