USB storage was recognized and available upon insertion. It’s probably a good idea to power down before inserting a PCIe module anyway, since you could damage the unit by crossing contacts.

When I added drives, both NVMe and SATA units required me to power-cycle the ZimaBoard before they’d show up. The main browser page of CasaOS as it appears when you first power on the ZimaBoard. The extremely attractive, Docker-hosting, CasaOS web interface prompts you to create a user name and password, then you’re good to go. If you’re going for NAS-like use, open up your browser, find the ZimaBoard’s IP address (look in your router’s client table or use a probe utility) and log on. There’s no on/off switch the unit is on from the time it senses power. So yes, the ZimaBoard is also a tiny Linux PC. In this case, it’s more like using a standard Linux distribution and you have access to normal apps such as Firefox, Libre Office, and so on.

You can of course also attach a display, keyboard, and mouse for console use. Physically setting up the ZimaBoard is a simple matter of choosing the appropriate prongs for your outlet type from the included international adapters for the 12-volt/3-amp wall wart, plugging said power supply into the wall and the ZimaBoard, and then running an ethernet cable from your switch/router to the ZimaBoard. Still not into it? Buy a traditional NAS box. If you’re not a fan of exposed technology, think of this peripheral madness as a miniature art installation that you don’t have to pay a museum entrance fee to enjoy. Icewhale also offers a Wi-Fi module for the PCIe port.

Diy home media server