Lenovo M32: Hardware 

• Hardware
• Firmware
• Linux

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M32 was announced back in 2013 and started shipping in October 2013. My example was manufactured in January 2014. It was based on an Intel Celeron platform.

There are two basic variants, one with a Celeron 807 (1 core with Hyper-Threading), and one with a Celeron 847 (dual core). Unfortunately there doesn't immediately appear to be an easy way of distinguishing between them. I did find a couple of ThinkCentre Product Specifications Reference publications, one for the US and one for Western Europe - which looked hopeful. They showed that there were two variants - 10BV and 10BM - but I soon discovered that either CPU could be fitted to each variant. But at least it they listed a host of "Type-model" numbers and what was fitted to them. e.g. 10BM0003US was a US model with a Celeron 807 CPU, 4GB of RAM, 8GB of flash running WES 7. 10BM0017++ (++ replaced by country code) was fitted with a Celeron 847, 2GB of RAM, 1GB flash, and running LeTOS. Looking at my M32 (pictured) I find it is identified as a 10BMA00DMD which doesn't match up with anything listed in either document.

Specifications

Processor & Graphics
Type & Speed	Celeron 807 (1 core, 2 threads) 1.5GHz or Celeron 847 (2 core, 2 threads) 1.1GHz
Memory
Flash    RAM	1GB/8GB 2GB/4GB (max 4GB)
Video
Chip    Max resolution	Intel HD Graphics 2560 x 2048 (display port) 2560 x 1600 (VGA)
Ports
Network    USB    Serial    Parallel    PS/2    Video	10/100/1000 4 x USB2.0 (front) 2 x USB2.0 (rear) 4 1 2 (Kybd and Mouse) 1 x Display Port 1 x VGA
Power
Power    Plug    Off    Idle    Running	19V 3.42A (label) Coax male 5.0mm/2.5mm 1W ~9W ~14W
Dimensions
H x W x D (mm)	220 x 55 x 170 (Excluding Stand)

The embedded operating system is one of:

• Lenovo ThinPro (32-bit)
• Lenovo Smart Zero Core (32-bit)
• Windows Embedded Standard 7E (32-bit)
• Windows Embedded Standard 7P (64-bit)
• Windows Embedded 8 Standard (64-bit)
• Windows 10 IoT Enterprise (64-bit)

My example is fitted with Windows Embedded Standard 7E.

There appear to be two memory options: 1GB/2GB (flash/RAM) for a Linux OS and 8GB/4GB for Windows.

Power Supply

The power supply is a standard 19V 3.42A unit with a 5.5mm/2.5mm coaxial plug.

CPU

The CPU fitted to the M32 is either the Celeron 807 (single core) or the Celeron 847 (Dual core). In my case my M32 is fitted with the Celeron 847.

From the linux cpuinfo data for the Dual Core processor fitted to my t620:

PCI

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller (rev 09)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev c4)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 7 Series Chipset Family LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 7 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C216 Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 07)

Expansion

Things are slightly unusual in that, when you remove the cover/case, you expose what most people would regard as the bottom the circuit board. The 'top' of the circuit board which carries the CPU, heatsinks and all the IO sockets is still covered by the other half of the case.

There is some space on the 'top' of the board where an inventive person might be able to fit a 2.5" drive, but that leaves them with the problem of how to route the cabling to the SATA socket on the other side of the board.

The exposed circuit board is shown right. Click on the image for a larger version.

Flash: The Flash memory is a SATA DOM plugged into a standard 15+7 SATA socket. (Bottom rightish in the photo). The interface to the SATA II standard (3.0Gb/s).The DOM length is 39mm. If you fit an alternative anything longer than 50mm will foul the CMOS battery holder. Essentially you are restricted to a small SATA DOM for any straightforward upgrade in this area.

Adjacent to the SATA DOM the board is tracked for an mSATA socket but one is not fitted.

RAM: There is a single socket to take DDR3L SODIMM. The datasheet says:

4GB max, PC3-12800 1600MHz DDR3*, one 204-pin SODIMM socket (notebook)
* System automatically clocks down for processors with1333MHz DDR3 memory controller

My unit was fitted with a 2GB PC3L part. (RAMAXEL 2GB 1Rx8 PC3L-12800S-11-11-B4) The '4GB Max' is obviously Lenovo's product marketing limit. I do not have an 8GB SODIMM to check what the practical limit is.

USB: There are a 6 USB 2.0 ports on the M32. There are four sockets on the front panel and two on the rear panel.

mPCIE: Adjacent to the missing mSATA connector the board is tracked for a mPCIE connector but no connector is fitted. The back panel does have a knock-out for a socket for a WiFi antenna so it is possible that this might be a factory fit option for a wireless card.

Serial Ports: Unusually there are four serial ports and a parallel port on the back panel. I'm not too sure what market Lenovo designed the M32 for with that many serial ports.

Click here for a larger photo of the motherboard.

Jumpers

There is a 'clear CMOS' jumper close to the battery. It's the red jumper you can see in the photo above.

There are a whole host of jumpers to do with the configuration of the serial ports - what control lines are active and what voltage levels are used. The 86 page M32 User Guide makes no mention of them. Luckily the circuit board silk screen carries the necessary information, but you need to remove the SATA DOM in order to be able to see all of it.

Chipset

The datasheet for the M32 clearly states Mobile Intel NM70 Chipset. Wikipedia lists this as being released in August 2012. Various motherboards own up to using it. However, go to Intel's website, and (in an admittedly brief search) it denied all knowledge of the NM70 but did own up to the HM70 (launched in April 2012 according to Wikipedia).

Third party data on the NM70 says it supports 4 SATA ports one of which is a 6Gb/s port. One would hope that the M32's SATA socket is connected to this port and the SATA II mention in the M32 spec relates to the SATA DOMs they supply, not the full capabilities of the SATA Port.