Imho these are different issues…on one side the i2c issue where removind the resistors fixing it and on the other side the problem with atheros cards like on r64 where tx capacitors (filter signal) were missing and or resistors wrong (voltage limit).
They are indeed two different issuses.
But we only received this feedback that I2C will affects SSD recognition.
Therefore, if the PCIE compatibility issuses can be solved together, the hardware will only need to be upgraded with one version.
Imho ssd is recognized but brings i2c bus down,so sfps are not recognized if ssd is inserted and resistors are still in
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I tested the Kioxia and it is OK, the SFP I2C can also be used.
It should be that some SSDs will cause I2C bus down.
Because it is not the main topic, I try to make it short: During the last years, I had problems to find out which version of the Board suppliers offer.
It was not clear for me because none of the seller wrote it in the specs description. 
. I had this problem for R3 and now for R4. I found no single shop offer which mentioned it (Taobao, Aliexpress, Joom)!
Of course, I tried to find out by looking at the picture. Some pictures didn’t have a good enough resolution. I couldn’t recognize the version! And additionally it became clear to me too that there is a possibility that the sellers picture are not true. They may use the first released pictures with V1.0 and sell V1.1 which is bad for their buiseness too because the “knowing people” will not buy there! I also doubted by myself because I thought maybe banana pi sold the first unofficial boards to a third party which is selling them on Alibaba. I think this situation causes a lot of email traffic and takes time away!
If you are releasing a 1.2 version of R4 these problems are getting worse 
.
My suggestion:
- please provide good pictures with high resolution for the sellers. The URL should be on the backside of R4 package.
- extend the nomenclature: for example BPI-R4-V1.2
- try to make the version number on the PCB as big as possible
Thank you 
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Thank you for your suggestions, I will feed these back to sales and other technical teams.
If have other questions, you can also contact our sales judy ([email protected]), or you can leave your contact information and I will ask her to contact you.
Now those two resistors are not installed by default in newer batches:
Just got the R4. Are you talking about these resistors? Please inform, how to “tape” or cover them? I plan to use an nvme and fiber ports at the same time.
See first post of this topic which shows pin location…just cover them with a tape
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people seem to talk about only SFP ports not working, but when i plug in an SSD, then i see zero output on the serial console.
i remember seeing some change on the leds eventually. is the serial port also brought down by the i2c bus? that would explain.
i put tape on the two (tiny!) legs of my SSD as suggested above, and the board booted, serial port and the SSD both works.
i’ll read a bit more about those two resistors, and i’ll maybe desolder them. IIUC that would make the taping unnecessary, right?
Yes, desolder these 2 resistors solves the issue too and taping is no more necessary. Future version do not have these resistors.
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When will we be able to buy a R4 without those resistors? What’s the best shop to get the most updated hardware revisions, sinovoip on aliexpress?sino
I’m afraid this could be very difficult!
To reprogram a pick and place not to take this two resistors is easy made. But for a new version print (1.2) you will need a new mask.
Here the command of banana pi:
This is why I think there will never be a 1.2 … (hope for it never dies)
But even the Version 1.1 will be changed to 1.2 you will probably not see it, because the pictures of vendors look often not self made.
So, the boards should be already available!?
Anyway, ask the distributor!
Just recieved my copies #2 and #3 and both still have those resistors.
What are the 4th digit from the left on the barcode sticker on your #2 and #3 ?
The 4th digit from left is ‘3’ for both.
Same as mine. I guest a great number still. 
I needed to correct myself - it doesn’t seem so easy to get an m.2-card working. I need to activate a third mPCIe-card, therefore I got this adapter https://www.amazon.de/dp/B089N34HPV which has one review saying it works with AsiaRF-cards on BPI-R3, hence I thought it would work as well in BPI-R4. I will investigate why it failed (hopefully only in first place).
Without taping the board doesn’t boot into OpenWrt - the green LED would not light up. When it is taped the boot process succeeds. I do not have another device to test the functionality of the adapter though 
@simon will PCIe devices work in the nvme-slot provided a working adapter is used? In my case I try to install a third MT7915/MT7916 card.
@kvic I contacted sales and the first batch without R228/R230 will be ready for shipping end of next week.
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Theoretically it’s okay, but I don’t know if there is such an adapter