GEEKOM has released the A5, a mini PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, with 32GB RAM and a 512GB SSD.

The GEEKOM A5 mini PC boasts impressive features, including support for up to four 4K displays through two HDMI 2.0 outputs and two USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2) ports. It also offers 2.5Gbps Ethernet and WiFi 6 networking capabilities. The mini PC is equipped with three USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, one USB 2.0 port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Here are the detailed specifications of the GEEKOM A5 mini PC:

• SoC – AMD Ryzen 7 5800H 8-core/16-thread processor up to 3.2 GHz / 4.4 GHz (Turbo) with 16MB cache, AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics; TDP: 35W
• System Memory – 32GB RAM via dual-channel DDR4-3200 SODIMM
• Storage:
  • 512GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 3×4 NVMe SSD, upgradable to 2TB NVMe or SATA SSD
  • 2.5-inch SATA HDD slot (7mm thick max) up to 2TB
  • Full-size SD card slot
• Video Output:
  • 2 x HDMI 2.0 ports up to 4Kp60Hz
  • 2x DisplayPort via USB Type-C ports up to 8Kp30
• Audio – 3.5mm audio jack, digital audio via HDMI and USB-C
• Networking:
  • 2.5GbE RJ45 port
  • WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2
• USB:
  • 3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports
  • 1x USB 2.0 Type-A port
  • 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C ports with DisplayPort alt mode
• Misc – Power button, Kensington Lock slot
• Power Supply – 19V/6.32A (120W Power Adapter) via DC jack
• Dimensions – 117 x 112 x 49.2 mm
• Weight – 652 grams

The GEEKOM A5 mini PC comes with an activated version of Windows 11 Pro and several accessories, including a user guide, a VESA mount, an HDMI cable, and a 120W power adapter. We had the opportunity to review a sample unit of the A5, and we can confirm that it utilizes a 512GB Lexar NVMe (PCIe Gen 3 x4) SSD, as shown in the teardown photos.

Overall, the GEEKOM A5 mini PC offers good specifications and features at an affordable price point. It seems like a good option for those interested in a low power server.

The Flash-Friendly File-System (F2FS) has received further enhancements in the mainline Linux kernel with the ongoing v6.7 merge window. One notable improvement is the support for a larger page size by changing the internal block size alignment to the page size. This means that F2FS can now support cases where the block size is the page size for both 4K and 16K block sizes. It is worth noting that other sizes should also work, as mentioned in the related patches. However, at present, the code does not support 4K block size file-systems if the page size is 16K.

In addition to the larger page size support, F2FS for Linux 6.7 also introduces further improvements around zoned block device support and various other fixes and low-level code enhancements. These changes aim to enhance the overall performance and reliability of the file system.

For more details on the specific changes made to F2FS for Linux 6.7, you can refer to the Git merge for comprehensive information.

Overall, these enhancements to F2FS in Linux 6.7 contribute to a more robust and efficient flash-friendly file system, which will benefit users who rely on Linux servers, DevOps, and home labs.

Source: Phoronix.

In this week’s issue of README Highlight (#44, 2023), we are taking a look at the project Gitea. Gitea is a self-hosted Git service that aims to provide an easy, fast, and painless way to set up a Git server.

One of the notable features of Gitea is that it is written in Go, making it compatible with all platforms and architectures supported by Go, including Linux, macOS, and Windows on x86, amd64, ARM, and PowerPC architectures. It also provides an online demo for users to try out.

To build Gitea, you can run the command TAGS="bindata" make build from the root of the source tree. If SQLite support is required, you can use TAGS="bindata sqlite sqlite_unlock_notify" make build. The build process consists of two sub-targets: make backend which requires Go Stable, and make frontend which requires Node.js LTS or greater.

To use Gitea, you can simply run ./gitea web command. If you are interested in using the APIs, there is experimental support with documentation available.

Contributing to Gitea follows the workflow of Fork -> Patch -> Push -> Pull Request. It is important to read the Contributors Guide before starting to work on a pull request. For security vulnerabilities, it is recommended to contact the project privately at security@gitea.io.

Translations of Gitea are done through Crowdin, and new languages can be added by requesting it through the Crowdin project or by creating an issue. Further information and instructions about installing Gitea can be found in the documentation. Questions that are not covered by the documentation can be addressed on the Discord server or the discourse forum.

Gitea has a list of related projects called awesome-gitea, and the official Gitea CLI is developed at gitea/tea.

The project is licensed under the MIT License. For screenshots and an overview of the interface, you can visit the provided links.

Overall, Gitea is a versatile and user-friendly self-hosted Git service that provides a seamless experience for setting up a Git server. With its compatibility across platforms and architectures, it offers flexibility and convenience for users in the server, Linux, DevOps, and home lab communities.

Source: Gitea README.

BeagleV-Fire is a new single board computer powered by Microchip PolarFire MPFS025T penta-core RISC-V SoC FPGA. It follows the BeagleBone Black form factor for compatibility with BeagleBone capes expansion boards. The BeagleV-Fire features a Microchip PolarFire MPFS250T FCVG484E SoC FPGA with a penta-core RISC-V CPU, 2GB LPDDR4 system memory, and various storage options including 16GB eMMC and a MicroSD card socket. It also includes a MIPI CSI camera connector, Gigabit Ethernet port, USB 2.0 Type-C port, and multiple expansion options such as M.2 E-Key socket and BeagleBone Cape add-on headers. The board supports Ubuntu and comes with preinstalled Linux for easy setup. The BeagleV-Fire is available for $149 and can be purchased from various distributors. More information can be found on the official product page.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.

The maker of the ZimaBoard and ZimaBlade single-board computers, Icewhale Technology, is set to launch a new product called the ZimaCube. The ZimaCube is a “personal cloud” computer that functions as a network-attached storage (NAS) device, offering users a choice between two processor options: N100 or Core i5-1235U.

The ZimaCube boasts several special features that make it more than just a NAS device. It supports up to six hard drives, up to four 2.5 GbE Ethernet ports, and up to 64GB of RAM. The retail prices for the ZimaCube are expected to start at $699, but Icewhale Technology will be launching a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign on November 3, with Early Bird rewards starting at $499 for an entry-level model.

The starting price of $499 is for a model equipped with an energy-efficient 6-watt N100 chip based on Alder Lake N architecture. Customers who want a higher-performance version, the ZimaCube Pro, with a 15-watt Core i5 chip will have to pay $899 or more during the crowdfunding campaign, or $1,199 at retail.

The ZimaCube Pro not only features a more powerful processor but also supports up to twice as much RAM, has twice as many Ethernet ports, supports PCIe Gen 4, and includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, among other things.

The ZimaCube is more expensive than entry-level QNAP or Synology NAS devices, but it offers a high level of flexibility in terms of storage, expansion options, and software support.

Here are the specifications for the ZimaCube and ZimaCube Pro:

ZimaCube:

• Processor: N100 (4-cores / 4-threads, up to 3.4 GHz, 6W TDP)
• RAM: 8GB DDR4 (included), 32GB max (16GB x 2)
• Storage: 256GB SSD (included), 6 x SATA III bays (2.5" or 3.5" drives), 2 x M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe slots
• PCIe: 1 x PCIe Gen 3 x4
• USB: 1 x USB 3.0 Gen 1 Type-C, 4 x USB 3.0 Gen 1 Type-A, 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A
• Ethernet: 2 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet
• Video out: HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4
• Power: 220W (100V - 240V)
• OS: TrueNAS, ZimaOS
• Cooling: Active cooling, 2 x 80 x 80mm fans
• Dimensions: 240 x 221 x 220mm, 9.45" x 8.7" x 8.7"
• Weight: 5.4 kg, 11.9 pounds

ZimaCube Pro:

• Processor: Core i5-1235U (10-cores / 12-threads, up to 4.4 GHz, 15W TDP)
• RAM: 16GB DDR5 (included), 64GB max (32GB x 2)
• Storage: 256GB SSD (included), 6 x SATA III bays (2.5" or 3.5" drives), 2 x PCIe NVMe SSD slots, 4 x additional NVMe slots
• PCIe: 1 x PCIe Gen 4 x16, 1 x PCIe Gen 4 x4
• USB: 2 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C, 6 x USB 3.0 Gen 1 Type-A
• Ethernet: 4 x 2.5 GbE Ethernet
• Video out: HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4
• Power: 220W (100V - 240V)
• OS: TrueNAS, ZimaOS
• Cooling: Active cooling, 2 x 80 x 80mm fans
• Dimensions: 240 x 221 x 220mm, 9.45" x 8.7" x 8.7"
• Weight: 5.4 kg, 11.9 pounds

The ZimaCube offers a compelling option for users interested in servers, Linux, DevOps, and home labs. With its range of features and storage options, it provides a versatile solution for personal cloud computing and networking needs.

Source: Liliputing.

Cloud Hypervisor, an open source Virtual Machine Monitor (VMM), has announced the release of version v36.0. This VMM runs on top of the KVM hypervisor and the Microsoft Hypervisor (MSHV) and is designed to run modern cloud workloads on common hardware architectures.

The project focuses on enabling customers to run cloud workloads inside a Cloud Service Provider, utilizing modern operating systems with paravirtualized devices (such as virtio) for efficient I/O, 64-bit CPUs, and no requirement for legacy devices.

Cloud Hypervisor is implemented in Rust and is based on the Rust VMM crates. The v36.0 release includes several user-visible changes and improvements:

Command Line Changes

The project has switched back to using the clap crate to create the command line interface, as the previous argh crate was not being actively maintained. This switch has resulted in syntax changes, such as using --option=value instead of --option value.

Enabled Features Reported via API Endpoint and CLI

Users can now query the enabled features of the running Cloud Hypervisor instance through the API endpoint (/vmm.ping) and the CLI (--version -v).

NUMA Support for PCI Segments

The --numa command has been updated with a new option pci_segment=, allowing users to define the relationship between PCI segments and NUMA nodes. Examples of usage can be found in the memory documentation.

CPU Topology Support on AMD Platforms

The CPU topology on x86_64 platforms now supports multiple vendors, providing improved flexibility and compatibility.

Unix Socket Backend for Serial Port

The --serial command has been enhanced with a new option socket=, enabling users to access the serial port using a Unix socket.

AIO Backend for Block Devices

An AIO (Asynchronous Input/Output) backend has been added for virtio-block devices, improving block device performance when the io_uring feature is not supported by the host operating system.

Documentation Improvements

The release includes various documentation improvements, including a new document for collecting coverage data and various typo fixes.

Notable Bug Fixes

Several notable bug fixes have been included in this release, including a fix for a deadlock issue when TDX (Intel Total Memory Encryption Extension) is enabled, a correction of the default value for vCPU topology on AArch64, and ensuring that AMX (Advanced Matrix Extensions) feature bits are only advertised to guests when the AMX CPU feature is enabled.