123 replies to this topic

[tristand]

I have one of the UK eeePCs that does not have the miniPCIe connector fitted. I decided to add an internal bluetooth adapter to the USB pads where the connector should have been fitted.

I modified a standard USB bluetooth adapter to work off of 3v instead of 5v (extremely simple) and soldered it in. Unfortunately when the eeePC boots and sees a USB device connected here it assumes that it's a flash disk and tries to boot from it.




Does anyone have and ideas for a way to get around this? I'm trying to avoid building a delayed powerup circuit to make the eeePC think the bleutooth adapter was plugged in after powerup.

Tristan

Edited by tristand, 21 November 2007 - 11:22 PM.

[Longhorn Engineer]

Does it work if you leave the 3V+ unconnected during bootup and reconnected once your in the OS? If it works then you might have to just use a delay.

Good thing is that it does read it so the port hasn't been disabled completely.

[whistler]

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I have one of the UK eeePCs that does not have the miniPCIe connector fitted.

There are EEE PCs without the mini PCIe connecter in them? This is news to me. :/ Are all UK ones like this, or is it a lottery? Worried now that one will arrive without the connector. :(

[tristand]

For info on eeePCs without the connector see http://forum.eeeuser...pic.php?id=2309.

I have got it working - pin 52 of the mini PCIe connector (+3.3V) is not active after boot. It looks like the bios uses the presence of a load on this pin to trigger a boot from the device connected to it.

By using the +3V connection on one of the nearby ICs to power the bluetooth adapter and using only the USB pins on the miniPCIe connector, the device boots and my internal bluetooth adapter works.

I will post some pics and a brief writeup of how to get internal bluetooth working later on. This could be used for internal memory just as easily.

Tristan

[parag0n]

argh, i just noticed that my eee doesnt have the connector either :(

anyway, at least i can use the space for a hub, a pair of pendrives and my bluetooth dongle now.

[sam613]

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Unfortunately when the eeePC boots and sees a USB device connected here it assumes that it's a flash disk and tries to boot from it.

http://forum.eeeuser...id=17994#p17994
Already tried with mini PCIe card before and have the same situation.
Maybe you can add a 16GB flash there instead. =|

[tnkgrl]

@tristand,

See my thread here: http://forum.eeeuser...pic.php?id=2355

Quote

I have one of the UK eeePCs that does not have the miniPCIe connector fitted. I decided to add an internal bluetooth adapter to the USB pads where the connector should have been fitted.

I modified a standard USB bluetooth adapter to work off of 3v instead of 5v (extremely simple) and soldered it in. Unfortunately when the eeePC boots and sees a USB device connected here it assumes that it's a flash disk and tries to boot from it.

Does anyone have and ideas for a way to get around this? I'm trying to avoid building a delayed powerup circuit to make the eeePC think the bleutooth adapter was plugged in after powerup.

Tristan

Edited by tnkgrl, 15 November 2007 - 10:46 PM.

[tristand]

My internal bluetooth is now working properly. Here are a few details of how I got it working. These instructions could be equally applied to adding an internal USB flash drive. Given the amount of space available, I may add a hub, a flash drive and a bluetooth adapter. I've had a quick look and they will all fit quite easily. This is a job for next week.

As you all know, the miniPCIe slot has a USB bus available on it. It also has 3V and ground connections. USB devices expect a 5V supply but this is normally not necessary - the devices work off 3V and regulate the 5V down internally.

First thing to note - do not use the 3V available on pin 52 of the miniPCIe connector. This will make the eeePC try to boot from a flash drive connected to it. Take 3V from somewhere else on the PCB instead. (see red arrow pointing to unused pad in photo).

To modify my USB bluetooth / flash devices to work off 3v was easy. In the case of my bluetooth adapter (which was extremely cheap!) the manufacturer used two diodes in series to drop the 5V to around 3V. I simply attached my 3V supply to the cathode of the second diode. In the case of the flash drive a 3 terminal linear regulator in SOT-23 package was used. I simply bypassed it.

The photo shows where I connected the wires in to - the USB+, USB- and ground connections go to the miniPCIe connector. The 3V supply comes from an unused SMD pad. This 3V supply is off when the device suspends.

Bluetooth range isn't great with the adapter where it is behind a metal lined panel, but is fine for my uses.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

I've managed to add an internal USB device without loosing any of the external ports or having cables hanging out.

I won't bother with any form of disclaimer except for to say that YMMV and if you break your new toy, it's not my fault!


The blue bit in the photo is a piece of card to which I have stuck the bluetooth PCB.

Tristan

Edited by tristand, 21 November 2007 - 11:19 PM.

[tnkgrl]

@tristand,

Have you tried pin 24 instead of pin 52 for 3.3V?
http://www.interface...ress_Bus.html#e

[Update: nevermind, you just did the next thing I was going to suggest :)]

Quote

I have one of the UK eeePCs that does not have the miniPCIe connector fitted. I decided to add an internal bluetooth adapter to the USB pads where the connector should have been fitted.

I modified a standard USB bluetooth adapter to work off of 3v instead of 5v (extremely simple) and soldered it in. Unfortunately when the eeePC boots and sees a USB device connected here it assumes that it's a flash disk and tries to boot from it.

Does anyone have and ideas for a way to get around this? I'm trying to avoid building a delayed powerup circuit to make the eeePC think the bleutooth adapter was plugged in after powerup.

Tristan

Edited by tnkgrl, 15 November 2007 - 11:27 PM.

[microking]

guess, if this is true that all new shipments don`t have the extra pcie port,
i will then remove the wifi-card in favor of a extra flash-drive.

i just simply want a larger AND removeable disk for more space and for the case that the onboard drive might die etc.

[netomx]

So I will sell my EEE in 600 bucks XD

[whistler]

Quote

The photo shows where I connected the wires in to - the USB+, USB- and ground connections go to the miniPCIe connector. The 3V supply comes from an unused SMD pad. This 3V supply is off when the device suspends.

Great work!

I don't fancy modding my USB devices to run off 3V, so could I use your USB+, USB- and Ground (off the spare Mini PCIe) with tnkgrl's 5V (off on standby) connection (http://forum.eeeuser...pic.php?id=2355) to run my USB hub? I don't know much about electronics so really I'm asking if it'll have any ill effects to the EEE if I did that. What do you think?

[tristand]

You should be fine using tnkgrl's 5V connection - I wanted to make my mod possible without pulling the eeePC apart. As long as the 5v point is indeed a 5v point capable of supplying a few hundred mA (which it most likely is) then you should have no problem at all.

[whistler]

Quote

You should be fine using tnkgrl's 5V connection - I wanted to make my mod possible without pulling the eeePC apart. As long as the 5v point is indeed a 5v point capable of supplying a few hundred mA (which it most likely is) then you should have no problem at all.

Thanks, once mine arrives and I'm happy to break the warranty, I'll be put in a hub and a few USB devices.
Shame they've removed the mini PCIe connector, but it might make this type of mod easier to do, so it's not all bad.

[Chris]

Oustanding breakthrough, and excellent work documenting it.

The Hacks and Mods forum gets its first sticky.

[eeeByGum]

If I'm not mistaken, it looks a lot like this inexpensive bluetooth adapter.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/119342

Take a look at the 'more images' tag on the product page.
The PCB looks identical.

[robcole84]

Wow, that is awesome!!!

I think I can do this myself too, but tristand could you post a clearer picture / schematic to get a better idea of what pins to attach the wires to, i don't want to mess my new toy up just yet.

Now that this is all figured out, someone needs to make a miniPCIe to usb connector! The wire for the power would still have to be soldered on though, or you could put a switch on it.

[tristand]

Thanks for stickying my thread!

You're right that is the bluetooth adapter I used. This one is identical inside, the antenna is just a bit of plastic to make it look more expensive and the case is unnecessarily large:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/127065

Scandalous!

I was going to get a PCB made to slot into the connector and provide bluetooth or flash memory and sell it but it seems the newer eeePCs (mine included) haven't got the connector fitted. Shame!

I'll post more detailed photos and instructions on Sunday / Monday.

If it turns out that the USA versions do have the connector I'll get a PCB designed and put it up for sale at a reasonable price if the demand is there.

[Pantaloonie]

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If it turns out that the USA versions do have the connector I'll get a PCB designed and put it up for sale at a reasonable price if the demand is there.

You've got a customer here...

[ma10]

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If it turns out that the USA versions do have the connector I'll get a PCB designed and put it up for sale at a reasonable price if the demand is there.

AFAIK, the initial batch of UK white eeePCs does seem to have the extra miniPCI slot, so you potentially have customers here in the UK too... Unfortunately for me, I gave/sold my initial white eeePC to my gf and I now have the black eeePC which most probably does not have a miniPCI slot... (haven't checked yet but pessimistic according to the other threads) :(

Also, don't know if ASUS is planning to remove the extra miniPCI slot on future models??

By the way, excellant post by the way!! Brightend my day cause I thought I was done for when I found out that my Black eeePC doesn't have the extra slot... at least now, I can still mod it with a bluetooth/extra memory in there! :D

Edited by ma10, 16 November 2007 - 07:42 PM.