Blueendless X3 Networked “HDD NAS Case” Runs Ubuntu on Marvell ARMADA 3720 SoC

We’ve previously covered inexpensive Kimax’ Ethernet & WiFi HDD enclosures for 2.5″ SATA drives, powered by MediaTek processor and running OpenWrt. If you need something more powerful and versatile yet still affordable, the easiest way is now likely to go with SBC based solutions such as ODROID-HC1/HC2 or dual SATA NAS enclosure for RockPro64.

There may be another interesting option, as I’ve just been informed about another model of those networked HDD enclosure called Blueendless X3 “HDD NAS case” with Ethernet only (no WiFi), and that is equipped with the same Marvel ARMADA 3720 dual core Cortex-A53 processor as found in Marvell ESPRESSOBin board.

Blueendless X3 NAS HDD Case
Photo source: Banggood – Click to Enlarge

Blueendless X3 specifications:

  • SoC – Marvell ARMADA 3720 (88F3720) dual core Cortex-A53 processor @ up to 1.1 GHz
  • System Memory – 512 MB DDR3
  • Storage – 16GB eMMC flash for OS, SATA 3.0 interface for 2.5″ drives based on ASMedia ASM1092R port multiplier
  • Networking – 1x Gigabit Ethernet
  • USB – 1x USB 3.0 port
  • Power Supply – 12V/2A
  • Dimensions – 118 x 110 x 33 mm (Metal case)
Blueendless X3 2.5-inch HDD enclosure
Click to Enlarge

The enclosure support Windows, MAC, Android and iOS via “Xcloud” app, and ships with an Ethernet cable, a power supply and cord, and a user manual. The company claims a transfer rate of 60-70 MB/s over Gigabit Ethernet.

That’s about all we know from the public information available, but Gábor who tipped me about the HDD enclosure and owns one, told me “it’s hacker friendly, it has got a Ubuntu 16.04.6 LTS running on it with SSH access, and the root password is root”. This is promising since users should be able to leverage ESPRESSOBin documentation, and modify the OS to fit their needs, and not necessarily have to use Xcloud app. If you plan to keep on using the default firmware, you’ll want to change that root password through.

Blueendless is apparently a brand from Kimax who made the previous enclosure we covered, and X3 (aka BS-X3) enclosure is currently sold on Aliexpress for $65.51 shipped, but I was told it was going for just $48 last week-end, so maybe the promotion will come back.

You can watch an unboxing and short review of Blueendless BS-X3 in the video below (Russian language).

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38 Comments
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KotCzarny
5 years ago

nice idea, but why the heck no 3.5″ bay.. and severely castrated the available interfaces

roel
roel
5 years ago

Nobody did a teardown of this device yet? Probably you van attach 2 sata’s on the small device also. Seems to be the same mainboard, only rotated 180°.

TLS
TLS
5 years ago

The ASMedia ASM1092R is not a SATA controller, the SoC has one built in, it’s a port multiplier. I guess this is how they also enable one USB 3.0 port.

TLS
TLS
5 years ago

Regardless, that’s a port multiplier, not a SATA controller.

tkaiser
tkaiser
5 years ago

Port multiplier in JBOD mode but unfortunately the R variants also allow for RAID0, RAID1 and SPAN.

different234
different234
4 years ago

I’ve x8 model. it’s seems to me that it’s possible to soldier chortcuts to change jbod to an other Raid 1/ Independed disks.

Steve
Steve
5 years ago

Surely the transfer rate should be 60/70MBs not 60/70Mbs (the former being Megabytes, the latter Megabits?)

tkaiser
tkaiser
5 years ago

> Gábor who tipped me about the HDD enclosure and owns one

Can’t you ask Gábor whether he can have a look inside to hopefully spot the connectors for a 2nd drive (since why adding an ASM1092R if not for two SATA drives?) and whether he can share dmesg output of his device?

Gábor Hidvégi
Gábor Hidvégi
5 years ago

Hello there, as Jean-Luc wrote, unfortunately I couldn’t disassemble the board. The dmesg output is quite strange as well, there are no hardware logs, only things connected to systemd like these: [ 6.314758] systemd[1]: Starting udev Coldplug all Devices… [ 6.331709] systemd[1]: user.slice changed dead -> active [ 6.331743] systemd[1]: user.slice: Job user.slice/start finished, result=done [ 6.331779] systemd[1]: Created slice User and Session Slice. [ 6.351741] systemd[1]: slices.target changed dead -> active [ 6.351772] systemd[1]: slices.target: Job slices.target/start finished, result=done It starts at 6 seconds. It must be some kind of dmesg setting, but couldn’t figure out it yet. Any… Read more »

tkaiser
tkaiser
5 years ago

Is the output from journalctl -k different?

Gábor Hidvégi
Gábor Hidvégi
5 years ago

It’s quite the same.

js0x0
js0x0
5 years ago

Might have to adjust the kernel loglevel values.

rayknight
rayknight
5 years ago

I received my unit and have done a teardown. Details can be found at https://wikidevi.com/wiki/Blueendless_BS-X3

tkaiser
tkaiser
5 years ago

Can a serial console be attached somewhere?

rayknight
rayknight
5 years ago

I’ve added photos of the PCB top and bottom where you can see a possible 4 pin serial at J2. Haven’t had time to determine pin out yet and am leaving on a vacation in the morning.

Zoltan
Zoltan
5 years ago

Like others already wrote: ssh user: “root”, password: “root” Mine did not boot properly until I connected the disk, after that I could log in. I did changed the default password and updated the system. /etc/apt/sources.list deb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial main universe deb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial-updates main universe deb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial-backports main universe deb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial-security main universe This must be disabled: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/relan-ubuntu-exfat-xenial.list # deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/relan/exfat/ubuntu xenial main # deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/relan/exfat/ubuntu xenial main 12345678910 /etc/apt/sources.listdeb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial main universedeb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial-updates main universe deb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial-backports main universe deb http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports/ xenial-security main universe  This must be disabled:/etc/apt/sources.list.d/relan-ubuntu-exfat-xenial.list # deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/relan/exfat/ubuntu xenial main#… Read more »

Zoltan
Zoltan
5 years ago

Disable goonas (the actual server):
systemclt stop goonas
systemctl disable goonas

Disable FW update:
/etc/rc.local
#/usr/sbin/blueRestart.sh &
#/usr/goonas/fwsrv &

Zoltan
Zoltan
5 years ago

The hdd default mount point is /etc/disk. If you want to move it somewhere else, or repartition the disk, you should edit this script: /usr/sbin/hdd-add.sh (or the following udev rule)

if [ $counts -eq 0 ] ; then
#we only mount 1 times
echo “mount /dev/$1 to /etc/disk.” >> /var/log/hdd.log
# sudo mount /dev/$1 /etc/disk
# exit 0
fi

it is called by /etc/udev/rules.d/95-usb-flash.rules

#these line for hdd partions
ACTION==”add”, NAME=”%k”, KERNEL==”sd[a-z][0-9]”, SUBSYSTEM==”block”, ENV{ID_BUS}==”ata”, ENV{DEVPATH}==”*.sata*”, RUN+=”/usr/sbin/hdd-add.sh %k”
ACTION==”remove”, NAME=”%k”, KERNEL==”sd[a-z][0-9]”, SUBSYSTEM==”block”, ENV{ID_BUS}==”ata”, ENV{DEVPATH}==”*.sata*”, RUN+=”/usr/sbin/hdd-remove.sh %k”

Catalin
Catalin
4 years ago

Hello Jean-Luc,
Question: Blueendless X3 have media server function?
I would like to watch on TV the files stored in Blueendless X3 device. It is possible?
In the Youtube clip I did not see the Settings page in the device interface.

Thx
Catalin

Catalin
Catalin
4 years ago

Hello again,
how can play on TV files located on X3 devices?
Thx

Catalin
Catalin
4 years ago

Unfortunately my LG smart TV does not have the possibility to search the shared drive network

different234
different234
4 years ago

Hi! It’s possible to install all linux software, because we have ubuntu 16.04 inside. I’m also able to install openmediavault

stan
stan
3 years ago

Hey, could you please tell me how did you manage to install OMV on this hardware?

different234
different234
3 years ago

hi Stan, you should follow guides from google how to install omv to debian/ubuntu. also it’s possible to install pihole there

linuxfan
linuxfan
4 years ago

Hello, can anyone help me obtain the Xcloud windows application please?
The official link is down

Thanks

Dino
Dino
4 years ago

Hi there, I have the same problem: no XCloud software available for windows and no App available for iOS, were you able to find it somewhere else?

Ozzy
Ozzy
3 years ago

Hi I have the same issue, were you be able to solve the problem ?

eddy
eddy
4 years ago

i want to know if can i put users in this nas or groups( of works) and if 512 memory ram is ok or is too low?

Eric
Eric
2 years ago

Anyone know if the drive can be NTFS? Thanks.

Emanuel Silva
Emanuel Silva
2 years ago

hello, admin, I’m sending this message because I need help, I bought the X8 case but I can’t find the website anymore, do you still have the software to send it to me, please

Juan Carlos Cabrera
Juan Carlos Cabrera
1 year ago

Hi,

I have the Blueendless X8 NAS. This NAS can be accessed via SSH over the LAN. You need to figure it out the actual IP got from the router. The user and password is root.
from there we can start working. I got inside and got some hardware info. They are on the image. I have to figure out how to port a NAS operating system to this hardware. A point to start can be the Marvell ESPRESSObin. The yocto project seems a startpoint to port a source code too this platform.

Publication1.jpg
Eugene
Eugene
1 year ago

Do you now where is uart pins. I just broke OS(

Khadas VIM4 SBC