ESP-WROOM-32 Easy Flash issue/workaround

[RB855]

Purchased a handful of ESP-WROOM-32 that have the same form factor as the NodeMCU. Tried every way to sunday to get Easy Flasher to work, but it would always get stuck in a loop and never actually program the device, timing out about 20 seconds later.

espwroom32.png (1.31 MiB) Viewed 11563 times

Using Espressifs Flash Download Tool it was possible to erase the flash, load factory, then insert the firmware into the ota partition. The firmware works great, just doesnt get along with the easy flasher. After flashing it, easy flasher is able to issue serial to set wifi at least. No amount of resets and boot buttons would make it work.

Checking logs you see a repeating pattern of
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] opening bootloader
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] resetting board
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] trying to connect
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] flush start
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] setting serial port timeouts to 1 ms
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] setting serial port timeouts to 1000 ms
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] flush complete
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] espcomm_send_command: sending command header
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] read 0, requested 1
[10/3/2020 8:09:21 PM] trying to connect

ESP downloader tool
https://www.espressif.com/en/support/do ... d%5B%5D=13

You'll need to find the device port first. Put your device into bootloader mode now. Make sure to set DoNotCngBin. You can set QIO, seems to work fine, all other options should remain. Erase flash to be sure its clean.

The bin files can be found in the Bin folder of the Easy Flasher utility if you are using pre-built bins.

The Factory firmware needs to be flashed to 0x0 first. Once that's flashed, flash the actual firmware to 0x10000. You can close the downloader and use Easy Flasher to set your network info or use the AP / serial console to do it yourself.

flashdownload.PNG (106.62 KiB) Viewed 11563 times

I offer this information on the basis of some people having trouble flashing their ESP32s. Even after flashing these with ESPeasy the easy flasher still just wont do it, so there may be an underlying hardware issue or otherwise. The OTA via web interface does appear to work normally.

Ill be glad to update this if things change, but this has worked perfect for these oddball cards that just wont play nice otherwise!

[TD-er]

I thought this was also mentioned in the README in the ZIP file?

If it isn't clear enough, please help to clarify the README file on this.

[RB855]

To be honest, I made it 95% of the way through the readme and didn't ever see the comment about espressifs flashing tool at the bottom there. Sure would have saved me a lot of time oie.
At least this outlines how to use the downloader tool for the uninitiated, as I was about 24 hours ago! lol

[TD-er]

OK, I will add a warning about flashing the ESP32 and I guess including the flasher that's not working is also not really useful in the ESP32 ZIP file.

I am not sure if we are allowed to include the Espressif flasher in the download.

[Mupsje]

Hi,

Maybe i'm a complete Noob but I tried to do this... (several times)
I just did like you tell here but the at step "easyesp"
He just don't find the esp32....


Maybe i'm doing it totally wrong...
Please help (lol)

Device= Esp32_DevkitC_V4

[TD-er]

DevkitC is (as far as I remember) a special one which does have 2 serial devices in a single USB to serial chip.
This allows for debugging etc.
But it might be you don't have the right serial port installed in Windows?
I remember I played with another ESP32 dev board a long time ago and setting up the USB drivers to have both serial ports working was quite hard to do.