Lenovo Thinkcentre/ThinkStation Tiny (Project TinyMiniMicro) Reference Thread

[joeribl]

Just "mod" post
After couple days of testing different m.2 adapters, network cards and other stuff, finished my first tiny proxmox host node.
HP Elitedesk 800 G3 (i5 7500, 16GB ram, 256GB nvme) with m.2 a/e realtek 8125 2.5gbit network card /w 3d printed bracket (replaces detachable displayport mini card).

It works flawlessly. Original gigabit nic used for kvm/vPro only.
View attachment 35423
View attachment 35424
Google photo gallery
Bracket is my work - will post it somewhere (with update of this post with a link), ping me if you need it sooner.

Aliexpress links: variant1 variant2

Congratulations, nice work. Shouldn't you be posting this in https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...icro-reviving-small-corporate-desktops.29075/ or https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/tiny-mini-micro-pc-experiences.30230/ as this topic is exclusively for Lenovo Tinies.

 

[Handset6713]

I have 3gbps symmetrical fiber from my ISP. I was looking at possibly putting the supermicro aoc-stgn2s into an m720q with i5-8400t processor for opnsense routing.

My ISP supplies the connection as PPPOE. Will this processor be adequate to keep up with those speeds? Anything different I should be looking at card wise or spec wise ?

 

[Raice]

Started my first Tiny project. Did a lot of browsing Idlefish (Chinese app for DIY/secondhand goods/you-name-it).
Bought this one.
It is M920Q, 9900T, 64G RAM, Ceacent PLX card with 4*SlimSas connectors, 4*U.2 cage and backplate+2*M.2 slots, custom fan controller and I226 2.5G LAN (using WiFi slot).
Cost 4860RMB.

In a few days I will try to write small review with more photos (these are from seller)

 

[wociscz]

Another 2.5gbit mod for my Lenovo m920x Lenovo ThinkCentre m920x(q) 2.5gbit m.2 a/e mod

 

[wociscz]

Ceacent PLX card with 4*SlimSas connectors, 4*U.2 cage and backplate

would you be so kind to send some links to this card & cage?

 

[Raice]

would you be so kind to send some links to this card & cage?

I don't think seller will sell it separately. I bought it with machine itself

 

[skipper ohms]

would you be so kind to send some links to this card & cage?

I think this is the card:
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805484706547.html

 

[Raice]

CEACENT CNS44PE16

Sure you can buy a card. I mean that the cage is printed and I don't think that seller will sell it separately.

 

[Raice]

Does any body had any problems with linux on P330 tiny? Mine is always kernel panics. Can't even start an installer. Tried Oracle Linux 9.2, Ubuntu 22.04.2. 22.04.4 sometimes boots but hangs. Now running memtest.
Windows 10 works fine.

Updated BIOS in recovery mode - still the same. ME, SIO - all updated

 

[phol]

@Raice did you check your RAM? Perhaps that might be the issue.

 

[wociscz]

CEACENT CNS44PE16

Nice and the backplane board?
Did you test the nvme u.2 speeds? Speaking of the card - it is x16, m920q/x has connected only x8 lanes - does it fully works (all ports) on what max speed?

I have different card with sff-8643 ports, but missing some nice nvme u.2 backplane boards (to build 3d printed case around it). There are dozen of sata or sas but have no luck to find 2 or 4 ports u.2.

My cards in test:
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-SFF-8643-Expansion-Indicator-Windows/dp/B0B7SNH23Y - needs pci-e bifurcation support, works in my a520 ryzen board with bifurcation set to x8x4x4 (second port not working due to x8 bifurcation).
PCIe Switch Adapter for U.2 SSD (PEX Controller), PCIe X8 to 4 SAS SFF-8643 | eBay (on the way to me, should work fully in m920x)
looked to the oculink cards as well, but the cables are made of gold I think.

My plan is to build 3d printed case around it with 4x 8TB nvme u.2 (3 of them already obtained) and 10gbe sfp+ card (in one of the m920x m.2 slots - works via m.2 -> pci-e tiny card).

One little question - from where do you taking the power? - I can see some wiring in the bottom of the picture. I'm using sata port to split it to multiple sata power sockets, but I think the tiny sata flat cabel isn't good enough source to draw more power from it.

 

[jackfrost]

Does the BIOS/UEFI allow Resizable Bar? If not, will "ReBarUEFI" work?

There is no options in the bios to enable resizable bar or above 4g decoding.

To enable above 4G you need to use the setup_var method.
---The offset to enable Above 4G on my m720q using the latest bios was at offset 0xA49.

To flash the modified bios for ReBarUEFI, you'll need an external tool like a CH341A programmer because the lenovo bios is locked down.
---I haven't tested if ReBarUEFI will work by creating a modded bios and flashing it, but it should work.

Is there a mod to relocate the HDD once the GPU is installed?

Just to check, you know there's a m.2 slot yes?

If you're talking about relocating a 2.5 ssd from where it normally is because the gpu is now there:

You can shuck most 2.5 ssds and put the resulting pcb (generally a pretty small wafer) in between the gpu and the motherboard... you'll need to make sure to keep separation so that it doesn't touch anything conductive directly... something like wrapping it in kapton tape, etc.

If you actually meant relocating a mechanical HDD, no unless you modify your case etc.

And bonus question:
Is there a way to control/change the fan curve under Windows?

Have you tried to use GitHub - Rem0o/FanControl.Releases: This is the release repository for Fan Control, a highly customizable fan controlling software for Windows. ?

 

[kayson]

Got 4 patients prepped for some surgery. I got some chipquik solder paste and I'm hoping paste + heat gun will give me easier and cleaner results than trying to solder 0402's by hand. Plenty of kapton tape to protect the connectors... Wish me luck.

 

[Nonetoo]

Looking for some card size help for m920q ... pcie slot is only 150mm ...
1) Any HBA sas/sata EXTERNAL plug adapters that fit? The LSI 9300-8e seems is 167 mm too long for the m920q

2) any pcie to nvme x8 slot dual adapters that fit in the m920q? Anyone tried this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZHNTWNG

It says it is 180mm .. BUT. Looks like you can break off 30mm to ditch the m22110 and still have m2280 ... and so end up with 150mm? Would that work?

 

[jackfrost]

Looking for some card size help for m920q ... pcie slot is only 150mm ...
1) Any HBA sas/sata EXTERNAL plug adapters that fit? The LSI 9300-8e seems is 167 mm too long for the m920q

2) any pcie to nvme x8 slot dual adapters that fit in the m920q? Anyone tried this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZHNTWNG

It says it is 180mm .. BUT. Looks like you can break off 30mm to ditch the m22110 and still have m2280 ... and so end up with 150mm? Would that work?

1) a lot. I personally have one with an LSI 9280-8e, and another with an Areca ARC-1882X (with optional management port daughterboard removed to make it half height).

2) You can definitely break off the perforated section on that board to make it shorter... I didn't check the dimensions.

Something to keep in mind is that you can get extra space for the pcie card by removing the front antenna bracket, it gives you a significant amount of space:




Single screw where the arrow is to remove it, other end is just hooked in.

If you happen to be using wifi and have an antenna there, you can detach it from the bracket and kind of "wedge" it in between the cpu cooler fan and the pcie card (up at the top of the highlighted bracket part in the picture)... little bit of VHB tape to hold it if needed.

 

[evil_santa]

Got 4 patients prepped for some surgery. I got some chipquik solder paste and I'm hoping paste + heat gun will give me easier and cleaner results than trying to solder 0402's by hand. Plenty of kapton tape to protect the connectors... Wish me luck.

View attachment 35520

Good luck whit it
If someone wants this mod I do it for 60€ based in Germany.
Including Thermal pad and the blue NVMe fastener clip.
Have everything here and did it on m710q/m720q/m910q/m920q.
I'm doing also the bifurcation mod on m920q/x

 

[Nonetoo]

1) a lot. I personally have one with an LSI 9280-8e, and another with an Areca ARC-1882X (with optional management port daughterboard removed to make it half height).

2) You can definitely break off the perforated section on that board to make it shorter... I didn't check the dimensions.

Something to keep in mind is that you can get extra space for the pcie card by removing the front antenna bracket, it gives you a significant amount of space:


View attachment 35528

Single screw where the arrow is to remove it, other end is just hooked in.

If you happen to be using wifi and have an antenna there, you can detach it from the bracket and kind of "wedge" it in between the cpu cooler fan and the pcie card (up at the top of the highlighted bracket part in the picture)... little bit of VHB tape to hold it if needed.

Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e | SSDworks.com

www.ssdworks.com

says the 9280-8e is 167mm long, won't fit in m920q
Broadcom documentation also says the 9300-8e is 167mm
newegg lists the Areca ARC-1882X length as 167mm

Do you know of any cards that will work with 150mm unmodified M920q ? Or is the only solution to remove the antenna bracket and then regular 167mm cards will work?
Thanks for you insights!

 

[kayson]

Good luck whit it
If someone wants this mod I do it for 60€ based in Germany.
Including Thermal pad and the blue NVMe fastener clip.
Have everything here and did it on m710q/m720q/m910q/m920q.
I'm doing also the bifurcation mod on m920q/x

Thanks! Where did you get the fastener clips? Everything I've found seems way too expensive to be worth it. I was thinking about 3D printing my own

 

[jackfrost]

Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e | SSDworks.com

www.ssdworks.com

says the 9280-8e is 167mm long, won't fit in m920q
Broadcom documentation also says the 9300-8e is 167mm
newegg lists the Areca ARC-1882X length as 167mm

Yes, I've removed the antenna bracket to make them fit in mine.

Do you know of any cards that will work with 150mm unmodified M920q ? Or is the only solution to remove the antenna bracket and then regular 167mm cards will work?
Thanks for you insights!

167mm (aka 6.60 inch) is kind of the "standard" for HHHL (half height half length) cards, which is why basically everything is 167mm.

Do shorter cards exist? Yes.

They will be much more rare and more expensive.

If you really don't want to remove the antenna bracket, you can look into Highpoint cards, for example... https://www.highpoint-tech.com/rr3700-overview

RocketRAID 3742A is 151mm in length, and (if you can find them) RocketRAID 3722A/3744A should be 143mm in length I believe.

You'll basically only be able to buy the 3742A directly from Highpoint because it's very rare, or you can watch ebay for them to rarely pop up... the 3722A and 3744A are "OEM only" so you basically never see them. You could maybe contact Highpoint directly to see if they'll sell you one though.

That said, if you're okay with pcie 2.0 cards, they're all over the place, just check ebay out for RocketRAID 2722A which is 96mm... there's also some other variants available.


There's probably other options you can find, I'm just familiar with Highpoint because I've used stuff from them in the past...

 

[ibor88]

I just grabbed the latest bios from the lenovo website and reflashed it and it was fine

Could somebody teach me how to get the old Lenovo logo back, or add my OEM logo? The last two BIOS updates completely obliterated the logo.