Firmware installation instructions for the NEO N42C-4

MINIX - Martin

Staff member
If you need to re-install the firmware for the NEO N42C-4, please follow these steps.
Please note, Re-installing the firmware shall wipe everything on the eMMC(C: drive, 32GB) where the Windows 10 OS is installed.
So you'll have to back up your important data in case they will lose forever.


1. Go to this webpage to download the firmware.

2. Prepare an 8GB or 16GB of NTFS format USB memory stick and rename its title as “WINPE”.

3. Unzip the downloaded firmware file, and then copy all child files and folders to the root directory of the USB stick. (See Firmware files at the root directory.png)

4. Connect the keyboard and USB stick to the N42C-4, power on theN42C-4, then press F11 button and select USB stick to boot in the prompt window.
You don’t need to do anything, just wait for the installation finished. It’ll take about 15 minutes.
If you don't find the USB stick at the list in the prompted window, please check if the USB stick is NTFS. (exFAT is a known format that the device does not recognize).

5. When you see the same window as Cleanup Test.jpg, please click the “Cleanup Test” on the desktop, then the box shall re-start.
Finish the initial setups and enjoy it.

If you see a Shell/Command window after re-installation and seems to have no way to go to the Windows desktop as usual.
Please check out this webpage.
 

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need help on creating a bootable usb stick
I have downloaded RUFUS but have no access to windows 10 pro,64 bit iso media file.
What should the partition scheme, target system set to in RUFUS

need help and direction first time doing this

many thanks
 
need help on creating a bootable usb stick
I have downloaded RUFUS but have no access to windows 10 pro,64 bit iso media file.
What should the partition scheme, target system set to in RUFUS

need help and direction first time doing this

many thanks
No need to use Rufus, you just need to format a USB stick to NTFS format and change its title/name as 'WINPE'.
 
No need to use Rufus, you just need to format a USB stick to NTFS format and change its title/name as 'WINPE'.
No NEED to create a bootable USB, just downdload the file and format your USB as NTFS, Remane as WINPE.
Follow the instruction. I tried it and it worked
Thanks again
I wish the company would have Online support
 
No NEED to create a bootable USB, just downdload the file and format your USB as NTFS, Remane as WINPE.
Follow the instruction. I tried it and it worked
Thanks again
I wish the company would have Online support
We don't have online support but you may contact our support team via email at support@minix.com.hk
All emails are usually replied to within 12 hours.
 
If you need to re-install the firmware for the NEO N42C-4, please follow these steps.
Please note, Re-installing the firmware shall wipe everything on the eMMC(C: drive, 32GB) where the Windows 10 OS is installed.
So you'll have to back up your important data in case they will lose forever.


1. Go to this webpage to download the firmware.

2. Prepare an 8GB or 16GB of NTFS format USB memory stick and rename its title as “WINPE”.

3. Unzip the downloaded firmware file, and then copy all child files and folders to the root directory of the USB stick. (See Firmware files at the root directory.png)

4. Connect the keyboard and USB stick to the N42C-4, power on theN42C-4, then press F11 button and select USB stick to boot in the prompt window.
You don’t need to do anything, just wait for the installation finished. It’ll take about 15 minutes.
If you don't find the USB stick at the list in the prompted window, please check if the USB stick is NTFS. (exFAT is a known format that the device does not recognize).

5. When you see the same window as Cleanup Test.jpg, please click the “Cleanup Test” on the desktop, then the box shall re-start.
Finish the initial setups and enjoy it.

If you see a Shell/Command window after re-installation and seems to have no way to go to the Windows desktop as usual.
Please check out this webpage.

Thank you. This is working great! My question, can the install / fresh copy of windows 10 / be installed to my 256 GB NAND SSD / D Drive that I purchased and installed? If so, I think it would be great to have the OS on something that can withstand updates to come, and I won't have to remap user profile directories for the few people so their files will go to D (as originally the C disk is very limited).
Thank you
-Mike
 
Thank you. This is working great! My question, can the install / fresh copy of windows 10 / be installed to my 256 GB NAND SSD / D Drive that I purchased and installed? If so, I think it would be great to have the OS on something that can withstand updates to come, and I won't have to remap user profile directories for the few people so their files will go to D (as originally the C disk is very limited).
Thank you
-Mike

Yes, you can :). I use an internally installed 240GB Kingston SSD which is my main C drive, for example. However, I installed Windows onto the SSD right from the get go & I never used the device with the pre-installed copy on the eMMC memory.

Have you checked that your chosen SSD is on the list of supported SSD's? The list is here... https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/compatible-ssd-and-ram-for-neo-n42c-4.18/ . Drives not on this list have been reported as working fine whilst others have been reported as being incompatible, if your drive isn't listed ultimately there's only one way to find out if it is ;)!!

As mentioned in the instructions, first backup all of your data as it will be wiped during this process!!

If you haven't already, download the official MINIX Win 10 Pro image here, https://theminixforum.com/index.php?forums/official-firmwares.116/ , (1809 is now available & that would be your best option). Have you also formatted your USB flash drive to NTFS, renamed it to WINPE, & copied the child files/folders from the official Win 10 Pro image onto it as well?....

Plug in your WINPE flash drive, reboot & immediately enter the BIOS. Navigate to Chipset -> South Cluster Configuration & disable the onboard eMMC. You should also see your installed SSD drive & your USB flash drive with the Windows image on it listed in the BIOS too. Save & exit the BIOS, the process will begin to install your clean & fresh copy of Windows onto your SSD.

Not that it matters as much once you have Windows on a decent sized SSD like you now have as space isn't as much of a problem as the 32GB onboard. However, if you so wish with Win 10 Pro you can look for the advanced settings under Windows Updates, & in there you can pause updates for a short period of time or you can even defer various updates (including feature updates) for as long as 365 days :). (NOTE:. Deferring updates is only an option with Win 10 Pro, it isn't available with Win 10 Home.)

Enjoy.
 
If you need to re-install the firmware for the NEO N42C-4, please follow these steps.
Please note, Re-installing the firmware shall wipe everything on the eMMC(C: drive, 32GB) where the Windows 10 OS is installed.
So you'll have to back up your important data in case they will lose forever.


1. Go to this webpage to download the firmware.

2. Prepare an 8GB or 16GB of NTFS format USB memory stick and rename its title as “WINPE”.

3. Unzip the downloaded firmware file, and then copy all child files and folders to the root directory of the USB stick. (See Firmware files at the root directory.png)

4. Connect the keyboard and USB stick to the N42C-4, power on theN42C-4, then press F11 button and select USB stick to boot in the prompt window.
You don’t need to do anything, just wait for the installation finished. It’ll take about 15 minutes.
If you don't find the USB stick at the list in the prompted window, please check if the USB stick is NTFS. (exFAT is a known format that the device does not recognize).

5. When you see the same window as Cleanup Test.jpg, please click the “Cleanup Test” on the desktop, then the box shall re-start.
Finish the initial setups and enjoy it.

If you see a Shell/Command window after re-installation and seems to have no way to go to the Windows desktop as usual.
Please check out this webpage.

Hi, when i installed at 6% it stopped and said disk is not ready. What should I do? Thanks. I also noticed that there is no LOST.DIR in my download.
 
Hi, when i installed at 6% it stopped and said disk is not ready. What should I do? Thanks. I also noticed that there is no LOST.DIR in my download.
Follow that instructions step by step. Make sure you copy all the files to a usb ntfs memory stick.
If you did everything well and did not work try again with another memory stick.
Download also the complete file.

You can do the whole process with also a external hdd for example, i did that and it works.

You dont need to format again if your usb memory stick or external hdd is already in NTFS, JUST RENAME TO WINPE.
 
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Follow that instructions step by step. Make sure you copy all the files to a usb ntfs memory stick.
If you did everything well and did not work try again with another memory stick.
Download also the complete file.

You can do the whole process with also a external hdd for example, i did that and it works.

You dont need to format again if your usb memory stick or external hdd is already in NTFS, JUST RENAME TO WINPE.

Thank you, it worked the second time I guess something's wrong with my memory stick the first time I did it.
By the way is it safe to wipe clean the eMMC drive and use it as a storage drive or shall I just disable it and keep a side? Thanks.
 
Yes, you can :). I use an internally installed 240GB Kingston SSD which is my main C drive, for example. However, I installed Windows onto the SSD right from the get go & I never used the device with the pre-installed copy on the eMMC memory.

Have you checked that your chosen SSD is on the list of supported SSD's? The list is here... https://theminixforum.com/index.php?threads/compatible-ssd-and-ram-for-neo-n42c-4.18/ . Drives not on this list have been reported as working fine whilst others have been reported as being incompatible, if your drive isn't listed ultimately there's only one way to find out if it is ;)!!

As mentioned in the instructions, first backup all of your data as it will be wiped during this process!!

If you haven't already, download the official MINIX Win 10 Pro image here, https://theminixforum.com/index.php?forums/official-firmwares.116/ , (1809 is now available & that would be your best option). Have you also formatted your USB flash drive to NTFS, renamed it to WINPE, & copied the child files/folders from the official Win 10 Pro image onto it as well?....

Plug in your WINPE flash drive, reboot & immediately enter the BIOS. Navigate to Chipset -> South Cluster Configuration & disable the onboard eMMC. You should also see your installed SSD drive & your USB flash drive with the Windows image on it listed in the BIOS too. Save & exit the BIOS, the process will begin to install your clean & fresh copy of Windows onto your SSD.

Not that it matters as much once you have Windows on a decent sized SSD like you now have as space isn't as much of a problem as the 32GB onboard. However, if you so wish with Win 10 Pro you can look for the advanced settings under Windows Updates, & in there you can pause updates for a short period of time or you can even defer various updates (including feature updates) for as long as 365 days :). (NOTE:. Deferring updates is only an option with Win 10 Pro, it isn't available with Win 10 Home.)

Enjoy.


I'm using Crucial MX500 500GB 3D NAND M.2 type 2280 internal SSD and it's working, I thought I should say this as this is not on the list. I've also used Crucial 16GB Kit (2X8GB) DDR3L-1600 SODIMM for the memory. All the best!
 
Thank you, it worked the second time I guess something's wrong with my memory stick the first time I did it.
By the way is it safe to wipe clean the eMMC drive and use it as a storage drive or shall I just disable it and keep a side? Thanks.
I use the eMMC as a OS backup and i have it disable.
If one day i need it is just enable and use.
I advice you to keep it as a backup.

Of course i have other backups but with eMMC already installed is easier.
 
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I'm using Crucial MX500 500GB 3D NAND M.2 type 2280 internal SSD and it's working, I thought I should say this as this is not on the list. I've also used Crucial 16GB Kit (2X8GB) DDR3L-1600 SODIMM for the memory. All the best!
It is good to know what is compatible with this device.
 
Has anyone had success with using an imaging software i.e. Macrium to do this for larger deployment. I work at a job where we use these units extensively and have used the Imaging process on the previous version Minix players. I just was curious if this is still possible after the EMMC bios disable, I would like to eliminate as many steps as possible in the upgrading process.
 
Has anyone had success with using an imaging software i.e. Macrium to do this for larger deployment. I work at a job where we use these units extensively and have used the Imaging process on the previous version Minix players. I just was curious if this is still possible after the EMMC bios disable, I would like to eliminate as many steps as possible in the upgrading process.
Hi.
I never used macrium because i don't need and i also like to do always a fresh install.
I have PXE network boot on my ds418 NAS with some images (Linux, win7 pe, utils etc)
What you can do is something similar.

Put on a server the images (try to put macrium images also) and boot the clients with PXE network, it is the best if you want to install on several machines.

If you want to install in a ssd i advice you to disable eMMC in the bios.
You can also enable pxe network boot in the bios.
 
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