userdoc:board_minisforum_n40 [AstLinux Documentation]

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====== MINISFORUM N40 Celeron N4020 Fanless Mini PC ======

!!Note: AstLinux 1.5.0 or later is recommended!!

**Board Specifications:**

  * 1x Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 NIC (1G/100M/10M speeds)

The MINISFORUM N40 Mini PC currently (February 2023) can be purchased new for ~$115 USD.  The value proposition is key, running AstLinux quite nicely, albeit with a single ethernet interface. Alternatively, similarly priced Mini PCs with SATA storage or reused thin clients may have a similar setup and configuration.

!!Negatives ->!! 1) The M.2 SATA SSD install is a pain. 2) The BIOS has very few options exposed, though no missing dealbreakers.

**AstLinux Board Type:**

  * "genx86_64" (Video Console: VGA)

**Complete System Recommended Options:**

  * Storage: M.2 type 2242 SATA (Transcend 32GB TS32GMTS400S or similar)

**Total System Power (no VGA/HDMI connection):**  3 Watts when idle.

**Performance:**  11.7 secs. (Single-core test, lower is better)

  time ( echo "scale=3456; 4*a(1)" | bc -l )

**Configuration:**

''/mnt/kd/rc.conf.d/user.conf''

  SENSEMODS="coretemp"
  
  ## Optional USB TTY serial login
  #USBTTY="yes"
  #USBTTY_BAUD_RATE="115200"

!!More Info ->!!
**[[userdoc:usbtty_serial_login|USB TTY Serial Login]]**

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''/mnt/kd/sensors.conf''

  # libsensors configuration file
  # -----------------------------
  # MINISFORUM N40
  
  # coretemp CPU sensor

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**BIOS Setup for Auto Power On:**

On startup (quickly) press the <ESC> or <DEL> key (many times) to enter the BIOS Setup, go to the "Boot" tab.  Make the following changes...

  * ''Auto Power On -> Power on''
  * ''EMMC Enable -> Disable''

!!Important ->!! Disabling eMMC support will prevent booting to Windows.

The results should look like the following screen...

{{:userdoc:minisforum_n40-bios-boot-tab.png?nolink|BIOS Boot Tab}}

Save the above BIOS changes, reboot.

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**Disable CPU C-states:** (Optional)

!!Requires AstLinux 1.5.0 or later!!

Using the CLI, enter the command:

  set-kcmd-cstate help

Read over the ''help'' information, if you want to disable C-states, then...

  set-kcmd-cstate disable

!!Tip ->!! An added benefit to disabling C-states, it eliminates the high-pitched squeal at idle.

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**Photos:**

{{:userdoc:minisforum_n40-front-sides.png?nolink|Front and Sides}}

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