MiniPCI Express slot

A MiniPCI Express slot is a version of the PCI-Express x1 slot for Notebooks.

• Wikipedia article on Mini PCI Express

NOTE!

There are two physical form factors, a standard 30×50.95 mm, and a half-height 30×26.8 mm. Some ThinkPads only support the later

MiniPCI Express Adapters

WLAN

• Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Mini-PCI Express Adapter
• Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Mini-PCI Express Adapter
• Intel Wifi Link 5100 (AGN)
• Intel Wifi Link 5300 (AGN)
• Intel WiMAX/WiFi Link 5150
• Intel WiMAX/WiFi Link 5350
• Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000
• Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200
• Intel Centrino Advanced-N + WiMAX 6250
• Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300
• ThinkPad 11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Mini Express Adapter
• ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wireless LAN Mini Express Adapter
• ThinkPad 11b/g/n Wireless LAN Mini-PCI Express Adapter II

WWAN

• Sierra Wireless MC5720 - EV-DO WWAN
• Sierra Wireless MC5725 - EV-DO WWAN
• Sierra Wireless HSDPA WWAN
• Ericsson F3507g Mobile Broadband Module
• Qualcomm Gobi 2000

Other

• Intel® Turbo Memory hard drive cache
• Wireless USB (UWB)

(In)Compatibility

Though the slot is MiniPCIe in form factor, it has been crippled to only accept devices with PCI-ID's contained in a BIOS whitelist consisting of the above list of devices (likely not exhaustive and varying depending on the particular system) with the additional requirement that they must carry the Lenovo brand name and consequently cost twice as much. If an unauthorized card is plugged in it gives a 1802 error on initial boot up before it even touches the operating system. (see Problem with unauthorized MiniPCI network card, 1802 with MiniPCIe on t60,same). The workarounds on the first link concerning MiniPCI devices may or may not be directly applicable to the MiniPCIe slot. Anyone who has added non-Lenovo components to this slot either successfully or unsuccessfully is encouraged to provide any relevant details here.

Hacked BIOS with white list removed

Non-official patched versions of BIOS files are available for X300, X61, X61s, T61, T61p, R61, R61e (and others, i did it to x60s) which remove whitelist restrictions allowing non-lenovo PCI-e devices.. (see forum post: Ultimate R61/T61/X61/X300 BIOS (inc SATA-II)

Linux support

MiniPCI Express adapters are handled by the Linux PCI subsystem.

Models featuring this Technology

• ThinkPad Edge 11", Edge 13", Edge 14", Edge 15"
• ThinkPad Template:L13, Template:L14, Template:L15, Template:L380, Template:L390, L410, L412, L420, L421, L430, L440, Template:L450, Template:L460, Template:L470, Template:L480, Template:L490, L510, L512, L520, L530, L540, Template:L560, Template:L570, Template:L580, Template:L590
• ThinkPad R60, R60e, R61, R61e, R61i, R400, R500
• ThinkPad SL300, SL400, SL400c, SL410, SL500, SL500c, SL510
• ThinkPad T60, T60p, T61, T61p, T400, T400s, T410, T410i, T410s, T410si, T500, T510, T510i
• ThinkPad W500, W510, W520, W530, W540, W541, W550s, W700, W700ds, W701, W701ds
• ThinkPad X60, X60s, X60 Tablet, X61, X61s, X61 Tablet, X100e, X200, X200s, X200 Tablet, X201, X201i, X201s, X201 Tablet, X220, X300, X301
• ThinkPad Z60m, Z60t, Z61e, Z61m, Z61p, Z61t

External sources

• Lenovo accessories guide.