The PINEBOOK Pro M.2/NGFF NVMe SSD Interface Adapter

[bcnaz]

Can I boot the system from PINEBOOK Pro M.2/NGFF NVMe SSD Interface Adapter ??

Not yet.

At present the best you can do is put the firmware and boot partition in eMMC and place the rootfs (and any others) on NVMe.

At some point in the future it may be possible to put the firmware in SPI and place all operating system partitions on the NVMe... but that will take time (not least because getting SPI firmware wrong will partially brick the board).

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    Perhaps some time in the future,  The could put the SPI module in a socket, (Like they do the EMMc module)  ?
      Then put the most popular boot order on the SPI module it ships with,  ...  While offering other pre-flashed  modules for a choice in the store....
      Maybe even some blank modules for those who have the skills to flash them themselves...  WIN -  WIN - WIN   ?

       Just a thought,  or  Question,    or is that too  un-reasonable to ask...  ?

                 (My two cents)

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    I Did purchase the adapter,  and then a PCIe/NVMe drive,  but Likely I will run my Pine book Pro stock,  with the NVMe module just sitting inside for safe keeping for now.

***

[danielt]

    Perhaps some time in the future,  The could put the SPI module in a socket, (Like they do the EMMc module)  ?

The SPI should eventually, when the firmware is a bit more mature, take on the same role as the BIOS chip in your PC. In other words apart from occasional firmware upgrades you leave it well alone.

Of course that's only a sane default. The PBP hardware is well documented and designed for hacking so the SPI can be used for whatever the user chooses but it does make me curious. What would you do with a socketed SPI flash that you can't do with the soldered down one?

[bcnaz]

    Perhaps some time in the future,  The could put the SPI module in a socket, (Like they do the EMMc module)  ?

The SPI should eventually, when the firmware is a bit more mature, take on the same role as the BIOS chip in your PC. In other words apart from occasional firmware upgrades you leave it well alone.

Of course that's only a sane default. The PBP hardware is well documented and designed for hacking so the SPI can be used for whatever the user chooses but it does make me curious. What would you do with a socketed SPI flash that you can't do with the soldered down one?

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   Maybe    You could purchase the SPI module with the desired boot specifications pre-loaded on it    ?
             Certainly much simpler than acquiring the equipment,   and the skills to write the correct code one self.
                 
****

[jose_s_c]

    Perhaps some time in the future,  The could put the SPI module in a socket, (Like they do the EMMc module)  ?

The SPI should eventually, when the firmware is a bit more mature, take on the same role as the BIOS chip in your PC. In other words apart from occasional firmware upgrades you leave it well alone.

Of course that's only a sane default. The PBP hardware is well documented and designed for hacking so the SPI can be used for whatever the user chooses but it does make me curious. What would you do with a socketed SPI flash that you can't do with the soldered down one?

That would be great feature socketed SPI flash if not increase costs too much. I seen comments that if mess up the code in SPI then is the one way to actually "brick" the SBC.  So for the many without skills to replace the SPI chip (like me), being able to purchase from PINE store replacement SPI in socket and replace in my bricked SBC without much diffiiculty would be very useful so removes worry to brick SBC from trying out different codes in SPI. I hope PINE team considers this.

[Luke]

A socketed SPI huh. Ok, I'll take this up with TL.

[ayufan]

I would rather consider switch to disable spi similarly to emmc instead.

[zaius]

I would rather consider switch to disable spi similarly to emmc instead.

Unless I'm missing something, a switch to disable the SPI would allow you to boot the computer with a bad SPI, but still wouldn't let you fix it.

[tgrauss]

I would rather consider switch to disable spi similarly to emmc instead.

Unless I'm missing something, a switch to disable the SPI would allow you to boot the computer with a bad SPI, but still wouldn't let you fix it.

You can switch off the SPI to boot the board from eMMC, then with the sytem started, you switch on the SPI and you can reflash it.

[bcnaz]

I would think there is a few ways to resolve the one issue,
in this case someone with the correct knowledge and skill could repair the damaged SPI without buying any parts, and do the job in minutes.
Another may be able to study what the first person did and do the job in a day or two.
While yet another less knowledgable person could determine the SPI has a problem, and be able to swap it out if it is socketed.
BUT many will be afraid to even open the cover.
Users of the PBP are/will be of many different skill levels...