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. Which one fits depends on the slot.

Models featuring MiniPCI Express slots

• 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

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)

Compatibility

Designated slots

According to the design, each slot is intended for a specific purpose. In the X200 for example, the three slots are for:

• Intel® Turbo Memory hard drive cache or Wireless USB (UWB) (half-length slot)
• WWAN 3G card (full-length)
• WLAN card (full-length)

The purpose of each slot decides over:

• antenna cable routing (or placement of other connectors)
• details of some pins of the MiniPCI Express connector
  • RF kill signal (one pin)
  • LED signal lines (several pins, one for each type (WLAN, WWAN) of LED)
  • SIM card slot access (three/four(?) pins giving access to a SIM card (in a slot somewhere))

In case of the X200, I can confirm that the WLAN LED pin of the WLAN slot is connected to the WLAN LED (as everyone might have guessed). Same is true of the WWAN LED pin in the WWAN slot.

Some questions which remain open:

• Does the RF kill hardware switch kill the WWAN slot?
• Is the WWAN LED pin in the WLAN slot connected to something and vice versa?
• Are the wires from the SIM card slot connected to all MiniPCI Express slots or only the WWAN slot?

Questions answered for the ThinkPad X200:

• The WLAN LED pin in the WWAN slot does not go the WWAN LED.
• The RF kill pin is active (grounded) in the WWAN slot at least under some circumstances and there is a SMAPI software switch which might be able to toggle that signal.
• Antenna cables go to their supposed slots by default, but are long enough to be rerouted to any slot.

BIOS checks

The BIOS is know to check PCI IDs (via whitelist) and block the boot process if it’s not satisfied (1802 error). The details vary. Above mentioned hardware might only be accepted if it comes with one set of possible IDs (for Lenovo). The same hardware (from the driver’s viewpoint) is often also available with other IDs if it is sold though other channels. (see also Problem with unauthorized MiniPCI network card, 1802 with MiniPCIe on t60,same).

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)

External sources

• Lenovo accessories guide.