Windows Server on eMMC

[Deslok]

Has anyone tried installing windows server on one of the mini-pc's that have been launched recently? I'm considering that they might be useful using the free hyper-v liscense for light applications(webservers/phone systems) I was considering giving it a go using this one Amazon.com: Byte Plus (Fanless Windows 10 Mini Desktop PC - Intel CherryTrail T3 Z8300 Quad-Core, 1.44 GHz (up to 1.84 GHz) 4GB RAM+32GB storage): Computers & Accessories Which I already have some experience with from when I reviewed it here Azulle Byte Plus review - Pocketables

 

[Deslok]

If anyone was curious I gave it a go on a compute stick I had handy and it works! Now I just need one with a Gig-E port to give hyper-v a go

 

[cesmith9999]

works, yes. it will work well over time? please just make sure that you are willing to lose all of your data for the day that the eMMC stops working all of a sudden...

Chris

 

[Deslok]

works, yes. it will work well over time? please just make sure that you are willing to lose all of your data for the day that the eMMC stops working all of a sudden...

Chris

With eMMC in most things being limited to 32GB I had planed to give hyper-v a go either with USB attached SSD or iSCSI storage not local to the eMMC

 

[Deslok]

The byte plus for my testing showed up today, I'll be updating Twitter and here periodically during the fun

Daniel Smith on Twitter

 

[Deslok]

So quick update, S2016 essentials/standard/datacenter all install and work fine, hyper-v core(which I had intended to use) fails to boot giving the ever so helpful inaccessible boot device error. Any ideas on why it would behave differently?(especially with emmc seeming like something it should boot from with servers having built in usb/sd ports and it even having install to usb instructions?)

 

[humbleThC]

My $0.02.

I use the Odroid-XU4 with eMMC for several different mini-PC needs, including Linux & Windows. (they're great for KIOSKs, especially when you match them with a touchscreen and a 3D printed enclosure.)

When considering just the pure reliability aspect of eMMC against MLC/SLC flash, or against HDD, keep in mind for the mini-pc discussion it should be about MicroSD -vs- eMMC. In that discussion there's no debate, MicroSDs go corrupt 'all of the time' for 'no random reason', where eMMCs are rock solid.

The performance aspect is another great eMMC benefit. 600MBs sustained read/write is insane compared to MicroSD. Even if you use USB3.0 to a proper SSD, which is the only valid mini-pc option for direct connected persistent storage, eMMC is pretty on par. 'good enough'

If you're having issues booting from it, i'd double check the BIOS/firmware capability of your particular mini-pc. It's not always easy
There's 'options' like, using MicroSD only for your Boot Loader area (not the best option, but totally viable)

In a lot of other cases, you have to install your OS to MicroSD 1st. (it's a big pain).
Then take your MicroSD and eMMC devices on a linux host and use DD to 'mirror' them.
After you boot from eMMC via this cheat, you can patch going forward, it's just a 'new OS setup' thing for the bootloader region.

Google-foo for Odroid installation instructions for how to migrate Linux from MicroSD to eMMC.
Those instructions should work 'relatively' the same for any OS you want to install on your mini-pc.
(assuming you have a linux box or linux USB thumb booter, you can use to do the MicroSD to eMMC cloning part)

 

[Deslok]

My $0.02.

I use the Odroid-XU4 with eMMC for several different mini-PC needs, including Linux & Windows. (they're great for KIOSKs, especially when you match them with a touchscreen and a 3D printed enclosure.)

When considering just the pure reliability aspect of eMMC against MLC/SLC flash, or against HDD, keep in mind for the mini-pc discussion it should be about MicroSD -vs- eMMC. In that discussion there's no debate, MicroSDs go corrupt 'all of the time' for 'no random reason', where eMMCs are rock solid.

The performance aspect is another great eMMC benefit. 600MBs sustained read/write is insane compared to MicroSD. Even if you use USB3.0 to a proper SSD, which is the only valid mini-pc option for direct connected persistent storage, eMMC is pretty on par. 'good enough'

If you're having issues booting from it, i'd double check the BIOS/firmware capability of your particular mini-pc. It's not always easy
There's 'options' like, using MicroSD only for your Boot Loader area (not the best option, but totally viable)

In a lot of other cases, you have to install your OS to MicroSD 1st. (it's a big pain).
Then take your MicroSD and eMMC devices on a linux host and use DD to 'mirror' them.
After you boot from eMMC via this cheat, you can patch going forward, it's just a 'new OS setup' thing for the bootloader region.

Google-foo for Odroid installation instructions for how to migrate Linux from MicroSD to eMMC.
Those instructions should work 'relatively' the same for any OS you want to install on your mini-pc.
(assuming you have a linux box or linux USB thumb booter, you can use to do the MicroSD to eMMC cloning part)

In this case I will be using a USB3>SSD(a mushkin reactor 512) for the VM storage but not the OS, as far as the Bios is concerned it wasn't my first thought to look there since 3 of the 4 common editions of windows server worked fine just not the hyper-v core(maybe it's missing a driver to read from emmc?)

 

[humbleThC]

Yeah the MicroSD to eMMC solution is just a band-aid for several linux's which can't create the boot region on the eMMC to begin with.
It could theoretically work for Hyper-V, but not technically applicable to you.

You are probably right on the Hyper-V 'core' installation missing some hardware driver support. But there's likely a way to add the feature you need in a build-your-own ISO strategy. (like trying to create an OEM windows installer)

 

[Deslok]

Yeah the MicroSD to eMMC solution is just a band-aid for several linux's which can't create the boot region on the eMMC to begin with.
It could theoretically work for Hyper-V, but not technically applicable to you.

You are probably right on the Hyper-V 'core' installation missing some hardware driver support. But there's likely a way to add the feature you need in a build-your-own ISO strategy. (like trying to create an OEM windows installer)

who knew in 2017 i'd still be trying to slipstream drivers into windows iso images...

 

[humbleThC]

who knew in 2017 i'd still be trying to slipstream drivers into windows iso images...

I'm just glad old school techniques still work like slipstreaming drivers in to windows iso images, to 'make stuff work' that doesnt work out of the box, so we as engineers can make 'extra special solutions' that otherwise wouldnt be viable. (Like a Hyper-V via mini-pc, booting from eMMC)

It might be hard, but at least it's possible... Hardware/Software vendors of the future, don't like building backward compatibility

 

[Deslok]

I'm just glad old school techniques still work like slipstreaming drivers in to windows iso images, to 'make stuff work' that doesnt work out of the box, so we as engineers can make 'extra special solutions' that otherwise wouldnt be viable. (Like a Hyper-V via mini-pc, booting from eMMC)

It might be hard, but at least it's possible... Hardware/Software vendors of the future, don't like building backward compatibility

It's been a while but do you remember if there's a way to export the drivers from standard so i can re-import them into the hyper-v iso? it's not like extra drivers is going to kill me

 

[humbleThC]

Not off the top of my head sorry, I know 'of' a lot more stuff, then I actually know Just enough to point people in the right direction, sometimes.