Topton N5105 router won't boot with Teamgroup NVME

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themeuge

New Member
Dec 19, 2021
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Just wanted to share my experience to save the community some headache. This is the 7th Aliexpress router build, and 4th Topton device for me, but I have never encountered this problem previously.

I purchased this Topton mini PC device for a router build for a friend:

With it I purchased the following NVME SSD:
Teamgroup TM8FP6256G0C101 250GB

I also purchased 2x 8GB Crucial DDR4 3200 SO-DIMMs

When I put the device together it would not light up at all when connected to power.
I then removed everything but 1 stick of RAM, the power light came on and it posted.
I then moved the stick to the other RAM slot, and it posted.
I then added the 2nd RAM stick and it posted.
I then put the Teamgroup NVME SSD in and none of the lights would turn on.

I added a 2.5" SATA SSD and it posted.
I then purchased a Crucial NVME SSD CT250P2SSD8 and the device posted and installed Pfsense just fine.

I don't have an NVME slot available to check the Teamgroup drive for function in another unit, but I have purchased a USB NVME enclosure to test it anyway.

Not sure I understand why it won't even power on with the Teamgroup drive, but figured I'd share the experience.
 
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LaunderedShirt

New Member
Dec 28, 2022
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This is interesting. I got a Topton board today and wasn't able to get it to power on. I have the same 2x8GB Crucial SO-DIMMs, but was using an Optane SSD. I'll give different SSDs a try.

Edit: No difference for me with a Crucial P3 SSD.
 
Last edited:

themeuge

New Member
Dec 19, 2021
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Update: the Teamgroup drive works fine in a USB NVME enclosure, so it's not formally defective, but there appears to be some kind of fundamental incompatibility with the particular mainboard in the Topton device.
 

marcosscriven

New Member
May 17, 2023
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@themeuge - did you ever find a solution to this? I have a Crucial P3 that works fine in other machines, but completely prevents the Topton device from posting.
 

marcosscriven

New Member
May 17, 2023
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Hi @grotim - so sorry I didn't respond sooner, got distracted with work.

Motherboard: MW-JSL2.5G-4L
BIOS: Core version 5.19, EUEFI 2.7, PI 1.6. Project version 1.1

I did just try setting the drive to native 4k block size (it comes default in 512B legacy mode), hoping that would be something to do with it, but unfortunately not.

I notice the power light doesn't even come on with the P3 drive is in the machine!
 

grotim

New Member
May 8, 2023
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Hi.

My power led is turned off too!

I have similar behavior with a patriot ssd.

It looks like we have the same motherboard and same bios.

However, i have found other testimonies of similar behavior with similar but different motherboards.