NodeMCU flash fails - “Connecting to HW-BELTLINE-01”

0
votes

I have a NodeMCU dev board based on the ESP 12E chipset that does not want to flash. I've tried with both NodeMCU-PyFlasher-4.0 and exptool.py v2.7.

Here's the output from NodeMCU when attempting to flash a firmware:

Command: esptool.py --port /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART --baud 115200 --after no_reset write_flash --flash_mode dout 0x00000 /Volumes/Users/troy/Downloads/tasmota.bin --erase-all

esptool.py v2.6
Serial port /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART
Connecting........_____....._____....._____.....___

Connecting to the serial port using screen /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART 115200 and resetting the device gives the following:

�#�p~�o�lNo���cp��l{l{lp�o��$��co�|l����#�|~�o�l��$`�2oN$`Ns���o��l r��n���l �N�

Connecting to HW-BELTLINE-01
...........................

The . continue on for ever.

The same results occur when using a discrete FTDI USB to UART device connected to the relevant TX/RX headers and powering the board via headers as well (so, taking the USB to UART chip out of the equation).

Video of flashing attempt and serial console output: https://youtu.be/83wZuDMUBXc

Any suggestions on how to get some firmware onto this device, or is it DOA with something not connected properly?

1
esp8266nodemcu
The gibberish you see is the output of the bootloader which communicates at 74880 baud. So, you will either see legible bootloader output or "app" output at 115200. – Marcel Stör
Since I'm getting something legible at 115200 I'm guessing the default/normal NodeMCU firmware isn't on this device, as esptool can't connect to it. It seems the device is waiting for something different (ie: not esptool) to provide some input – Troy
I dont have the specific board, but I have some NodeMCU clones where I have to short a pin with GND and resetting then before the esptool.py starts to flash.If I forget to do this I see also Connecting........_____....._____....._____.....__ . Seems some boardmakers implemented this kind of write protection. In one case I only found a chinese doc which I had to translate to get the right pin. If you already have boards of this exact make/layout/revision that flash try esptool ResetMethod = dtr (aka nodemcu) and upload resetmethod = --before default_reset --after hard_reset – Codebreaker007

1 Answers

1
votes

Default firmware tries to connect to the HW-BELTLINE-01 ssid wlan, open or protected with HKHK123HW password. If it succeeds, you can call /gpio/0 or /gpio/1 to test your device.