HackerGadgets' uConsole Upgrade Kit - adding NVME SSD(PCIe), RJ45 Ethernet and USB 3.0 to your Uconsole

uConsole
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You can just use NVME and use the SD slot to flash other SDs, or anything else you’d use a SD slot for. If you have the bootloader boot order set to SD then NVME you can “dual boot” by just inserting or removing a SD before boot.

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@Rex that is madly helpful! Thank you! Like I’ve said, I’m still a major amateur haha. I’ll definitely need some help setting that up I think…

But thank you so much!

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Do we need ribbon cables?

If so, which ones?

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Ribbon cables are included.

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Is it possible to order the NVME/battery board separately? I ordered the full kit yesterday (NVME board without battery holder) but realized it would be good to also have the one with the battery holder as a backup (in case I need the LiFePo battery for other applications).

I checked in your website and seems I can only buy it with the CM5 Adapter Board?

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How about an expansion board that just has a battery for the RTC that’s already in the CM5? Maybe it could have a couple USB ports as well.

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the cm5 rtc battery isn’t on the expansion board but can be connected to the adapter board
putting the battery on the expansion board would either require running an extra cable between the two boards or breaking compatibility with other expansion boards

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The lipo battery. Links I have seen to it dont have a connector to plug it in. Where can that be sourced?

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you just have to add a 2.0mm jst connector on it.

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I will add them to the webshop later.

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hi @vileer,
i was looking for s suitable push button switch for the NVMe Battery board.
would this from Aliexpress work? or should it be something like this?

Your advice appreciated.

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https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808590713102.html This one may fit in the cutoff of the AIO board near the side SMA hole. If you are using the RJ45 Ethernet and USB 3.0 expansion board, you will have to find another place to mount the switch.

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Will it be possible to dual or multi-boot OS’s from the NVME? I have a CM5 with EMMC. I read that the EMMC can be flashed with this new board also. I would love to be able to boot Rex’s book worm image and Kali, and maybe a third OS if possible. I read about swapping SD card, but it be nice to have them all on the NVME SSD.

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if you have a cm lite you can somewhat dual boot by using nvme for your main os then pop a sd in and boot off that for a second os. there is some dual boot software for the pi like pinn but you’d need to rebuild the software with the drivers and stuff for the uconsole for it to work.

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“you’d need to rebuild the software with the drivers and stuff for the uconsole for it to work”

Which software are you refering to ? Your image or the other OS’s? I know Kali works on the Uconsole as does Ubuntu. I installed them both before your image. Or are you referring to the AIO Drivers to make it work in the other OS’s? Can these drivers be installed after installing OS or do they need to be before? Will your image work with the V2 AIO Board.

Thanks for all your work on this and Vilers too!!!

T

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all my images work on the uconsole, it’s pinn that you will need to recompile with the changes to be able to dual boot with the uconsole.

yes my debain proper images will work with the aio v2 board and my hackergadgets-aio package.

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I ordered the adapter board + NVME + R45/USB, and the wifi dongle, I have 2 uConsoles..

Console 1 (CM5 Lite 8Gb) has the V1 AIO board, I plan to install the adapter board and NVME on this.

Console 2 (CM5 Lite 4Gb) will have the R45/USB, with the wifi dongle inside, my question is this;

Will the R45/USB board work with the adapter board that came standard with the uConsole ?

Or do I need the new adapter board?

I just want to make sure..

Thank you!

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If you use it with the stock adapter, the WiFi dongle works inside with your set up. But the USB speed is limited to 2.0 and RJ45 ethernet won’t work.

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@Vileer Good I asked, just ordered another adapter board and NVME board!

Can they be shipped with the same order I placed?

Since they are 2 seperate orders, I payed for shipping two times, you can toss in a antenna mounting board (always nice to have spares) with my orders, for the couple dollars that remain you can get yourself a coffee :blush:

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Oh man!! I was on the fence, but now I’m probably going to get a uconsole and this expansion board! Too cool. I wish I had these types of skills, but I’m too old to start learning electrical engineering