Is my GPY Bricked??

[robert-hh]

@stevo52 said in Is my GPY Bricked??:

No thread ID is generated (returns 'None') for the _thread.start_new_thread

Yes, that matches the code. The documentation is wrong.

[Stevo52]

@robert-hh Any pointers for doing this? If I do a full erase using esptool.py what will happen if I still have the same issues with the Pycom Firmware Update tool - next step will be a new FiPY?

[Stevo52]

@robert-hh OK, so I should use the _thread.get_ident() command instead?

[robert-hh]

@stevo52 You can do so. Only the scope is different. _thread.get_ident() is called within the thread, while returning the thread ID when creating would return it to the creating task. So furher actions depend on where you need it.

[robert-hh]

@stevo52 I never had the case that re-flashing did not work after a full erase, unless there is a hardware problem. That can be at any place between the ESP32 chip and you PC. This "failed to connect" message tells, that the expected ESP32 response is not seen by the loader, which can be cause by many reasons. You could verify, that, when you connect G23 to GND and push reset, you get something like the following message in Atom or Putty:

rst:0x1 (POWERON_RESET),boot:0x23 (DOWNLOAD_BOOT(UART0/UART1/SDIO_REI_REO_V2))
waiting for download

[Paul Thornton]

@robert-hh said in Is my GPY Bricked??:

@stevo52 said in Is my GPY Bricked??:

Is it not possible to re-flash with the same version of firmware?

Older versions are available here as tar packages: https://software.pycom.io/downloads/GPy.html. The most recent versions are not. There was an indication that Pycom will change that.

Can confirm. How we deliver firmware files is something being actively worked on :)

[Stevo52]

@robert-hh Hi again.. with G23 to Gnd and pressing reset:

So not the same as what you suggested I might see..

I can upload files to the GPY and those then run, but some other things happen - like the timer triggering twice at the same time and odd, mixed up thread ID numbers.. it feels like there are two copies of the same code running at the same time if that makes sense..

I tried esptool and also pycom-fwtool-cli (pretty much the same tool I think) but no luck with a full erase, or a firmware upload using either. I think I will have to get a replacement GPY/FIPY.. or try removing the uP from the expansion board and trying to flash etc, via an FTDI cable. Running out of ideas with this one.

[robert-hh]

@stevo52 G23 (Board) is the same Pin as P2 (Module). Are you sure you connected GND to the right Pin?

[Stevo52]

@robert-hh You advised to connect to G23, that is what I connected to GND at the Expansion Board? Double/triple checked many times. But there is a lot of confusion around module and Expansion Board pin assignments.. What pin (all associated pin ID's would help) on the Exp Bd 3. should I be connecting to GND?

[robert-hh]

@stevo52 The pin which is labelled G23 on the expansion board and P2 in the pinout of GPy. It is the 4th pin from the edge at the opposite side of GND.

[Stevo52]

@robert-hh That is where I have connected.You could try to contact not at the expansion board, but directly at the module, top sort out any connection problems of the expansion boards.
Also, when the device is powered, pulling G23 low a few times should cause some flicker of the RGB LED. The led is too connected to G23/P2. If that does not happen, then there is a connection problem between the G23 pin and the module's internals.

[Stevo52]

@robert-hh nearly missed this, it seems to be appended to my own reply to you..
"You could try to contact not at the expansion board, but directly at the module, top sort out any connection problems of the expansion boards.
Also, when the device is powered, pulling G23 low a few times should cause some flicker of the RGB LED. The led is too connected to G23/P2. If that does not happen, then there is a connection problem between the G23 pin and the module's internals.'

Soldered a wire on to this point, and also one from ground, to a switch but no difference in what I am seeing when they are connected. Repeated grounf of G23/P2 does not cause any flicker of the LED that I can see.

But I am curious why I even need the G23 to Gnd jumper - hasn't the PIC on Exp Bd 3 taken that requirement away?

Are there any 'error code' sequences produced on the Expansion Board 'batt' led? On occassions I am seeing a continuous series of short flashes, or a sequence of 6 ~ 8 short flashes, a 2 sec gap the short flashes again? Haven't found any reference to these.

[robert-hh]

@stevo52 That's strange. I suggested that P2/GND connection to rule out any problem in the Expansion board. Since the RGB led works, there is no problem with the module-internal connection to GPIO2. Did you check, whether there is a 3.3v at the 3.3v output Pin of the GPY (next to GND)?

[Stevo52]

@robert-hh Hi, a number of sensors on the I2C buses are powered from that 3.3V Output pin without issue.. confirmed it with a DMM as well just to be sure..

[Xykon]

@stevo52 Do you have anything else connected to the Expansion Board, especially on port P8? Do you have an SD card inserted in the expansion board?

[Stevo52]

@xykon I eliminated that scenario early on, the problem is the same with or without the SD Card. I removed the GPY from the expansion board and put it in a proto board (tried 3 different ones - different brands) and tried connecting with a USB to UART TTL RS232 cable - wire ends. That removed the expansion board completely but still no go as far as flashing goes but I can talk to the GPY and upload code files OK.

[robert-hh]

@stevo52 Yes, from the distance, it sounds like a hardware problem with the board. Maybe a broken wire or a bad solder point at the P2 pin.