MINIX NEO J50C-4: Installing Windows 10 Pro on SSD

John_S

Trusted Helper
Please note, the Windows 10 Pro product license key is stored within the BIOS on NEO J50C-4.

Follow below instructions to install Windows 10 Pro on SSD:

1. Go to the BIOS.

Attach a conventional wired/wireless keyboard to the NEO J50C-4, boot/start the Mini PC and immediately press the "DEL" key/button.

2. Disable the eMMC.

Go to “Chipset > South Cluster Configuration > SCC eMMC support”, and disable the eMMC.

Video Instructions can be found here:

.

3. Install the SSD - see attached reference photos.

List of compatible SSDs that have been verified by us:

Foresee S40JF128G 128GB
Samsung MZ-N5E120 120GB
Samsung MZ-NTY1280 128GB
Samsung 850 EVO 500GB
SanDisk SD7SN6S 128GB
SanDisk SD8SN8U 256GB
SanDisk SD8SN8U 512GB
Intel SSDSCKHW120A4 120GB
Intel 540S 256GB
Lenovo GXB0M41970 128GB
Kingston SM2280S3G2 120GB
Kingston SM2280S3G2 240GB
Kingston SM2280S3G2 480GB

4. Double-check the SSD is in "Boot Option #1".

Power on the device and go to BIOS again to double check if the SSD is in "Boot Option #1".
If not, change to "Boot Option #1". This is very important.

5. Install the Windows 10 Pro image onto the SSD.

Instructions can be found here: https://theminixforum.com/index.php...ows-10-pro-os-installation-instructions.2159/

6. The process is now complete, you can now boot Windows 10 Pro OS from the SSD.
 

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Has anyone gotten this to work with WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD M.2 2280? Because it won't show up in the boot options in bios. I know it not on the confirmed list of SSDs, but it is a user confirmed one for the N42c-4.
 
Has anyone gotten this to work with WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD M.2 2280? Because it won't show up in the boot options in bios. I know it not on the confirmed list of SSDs, but it is a user confirmed one for the N42c-4.
Have you disabled the eMMC?
 
Just installed a Samsung MZ-N6E250 (860 evo 250GB) and it works flawlessly.
I used a clone disk tool (EMMC->SSD), rebooted and disabled the EMMC from BIOS.
Have you re-enabled the eMMC for extra storage?
 
No. I prefer to keep it as "recovery" for some time, maybe I'll re-enabled it for storage in the future.
 
Has anyone gotten this to work with WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD M.2 2280? Because it won't show up in the boot options in bios. I know it not on the confirmed list of SSDs, but it is a user confirmed one for the N42c-4.
Were you able to resolve ssd recognition? I have the same problem with WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD M.2 228
 
Followed John's very clear instructions for installing Win 10 on SSD. Seemed to be going OK until everything ground to a halt with "Virtual Disk Service Error: The specified drive letter is not free to be assigned". Only thing I can think of that I may have done to cause this error was to partition the WD Blue 500Gb SSD into D and E before I started the transfere. Any Ideas what I should now be doing?
 
I apologize - I did not double-check that the SSD was in "Boot Option #1 - even though I thought I had changed it, it was n't.
The installation now seems to be proceeding normally.
 
Hello, I am new here & just purchased the NEO J50C-4

Its 64GB and has the Windows 10 pro pre-installed (I haven’t tried it, still new)

I also purchased the Minix 240SSD m.2 that also has Windows 10 pro on it.

My question is, when I add the SSD, do I need to reformat the SSD? Would there be 2 Windows operating system ??
 
Hello, I am new here & just purchased the NEO J50C-4

Its 64GB and has the Windows 10 pro pre-installed (I haven’t tried it, still new)

I also purchased the Minix 240SSD m.2 that also has Windows 10 pro on it.

My question is, when I add the SSD, do I need to reformat the SSD? Would there be 2 Windows operating system ??
You need to actiivate windows first with the emmc which is the internal drive, once activated you can then install the SSD but before booting back into windows go into the bios and de-activate the emmc, windows will boot off the SSD, all this info is written on the paper that came with the Minix SSD.

So to answer your questions, no you must not format the SSD and no with the emmc de-activated you will not have two windows.
 
My question is, when I add the SSD, do I need to reformat the SSD? Would there be 2 Windows operating system ??
It depends whether you want Windows to boot from the eMMC or the SSD.

If you're just adding the SSD for more storage then you can format it or just delete the Window files.

If you want to boot Windows from the SSD, then what @Marty said!
After, you can re-enable the eMMC for extra storage and remove the Windows files.
 
You need to actiivate windows first with the emmc which is the internal drive, once activated you can then install the SSD but before booting back into windows go into the bios and de-activate the emmc, windows will boot off the SSD, all this info is written on the paper that came with the Minix SSD.

So to answer your questions, no you must not format the SSD and no with the emmc de-activated you will not have two windows.
Thank you, I’ll read the paper !
 
It depends whether you want Windows to boot from the eMMC or the SSD.

If you're just adding the SSD for more storage then you can format it or just delete the Window files.

If you want to boot Windows from the SSD, then what @Marty said!
After, you can re-enable the eMMC for extra storage and remove the Windows files.
Thank you, I think I’ll have Windows boot from eMMC
 
Were you able to resolve ssd recognition? I have the same problem with WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD M.2 228
I have the same issue!
Help!

Edit. I took the WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD M.2 228 from the N42C-4, formatted/wiped it clean and placed it into the J50C. I can 'see' it in Win10 and indeed have stored 'Steam' on it, downloaded a game and this works well, However, I cannot boot from it and cannot thus install the new version of Win10. Yes, I've tried disabling the eMMC first and then installing the SSD but cannot see any boot options.

Do I need a new SSD?
 
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I have the same issue!
Help!

Edit. I took the WD Blue 3D NAND SATA SSD M.2 228 from the N42C-4, formatted/wiped it clean and placed it into the J50C. I can 'see' it in Win10 and indeed have stored 'Steam' on it, downloaded a game and this works well, However, I cannot boot from it and cannot thus install the new version of Win10. Yes, I've tried disabling the eMMC first and then installing the SSD but cannot see any boot options.

Do I need a new SSD?
What do you see when you press F11 after powering on?

I have...
Windows Boot Manager
Windows Boot Manager (PO: NEO-J5-SSD-240GB)
Enter Setup
 
My guess is, it is no longer bootable!

You need to install Windows on it first.
...But how? (Treat me like an idiot/Mac User!). I have a USB stick with Win10 on it.

Thanks.

Edit: on re-boot, the SSD has now renamed itself to E/ rather than D/
 
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