How to solve the firmware update failures

[Xykon]

If anyone still has problems with firmware update failures: 0.9.2.b1 has just been released. This release fixes the bug where the flash memory gets write protected in some cases.

I just tried the new firmware updater for Windows, it goes through the questions about LoPy/country/COM port but then fails immediately. Trying to figure out why.

I manually flashed the firmware, partition table and bootloader so it's not a big problem but I'm curious why the updater doesn't work.

[AgriKinetics]

@Xykon Hi, we are having the same problem, although after multiple attempts, it did get past that immediate fail, but, then had a fail with an unknown error in pythonW. Not sure what is going at the moment.

[livius]

Maybe because it is still wipy_0.9.1.b1.bin not wipy_0.9.2.b1.bin
i look into the folder and there is 1 not 2.

[AgriKinetics]

The correct 0.9.2.b1 is in the 'firmware' folder. I tried copying into the main 'upgrader' folder, but, the Upgrader still fails. Thought it might be the version of python (I was running 3.5) but, 2.7.12 fails also.

[Ralph]

Thanks for pointing this out. It must be an issue with the windows build of the updater, since the mac version works. We'll try to figure it out and get back to you guys as soon as we can.

[livius]

i do manual update by:
esptool.py --chip esp32 --port COM8 --baud 115200 write_flash 0x210000 wipy_0.9.2.b1.bin -fs 4MB -z
esptool.py --chip esp32 --port COM8 --baud 115200 write_flash 0x204000 partitions.bin -fs 4MB -z
esptool.py --chip esp32 --port COM8 --baud 115200 write_flash 0x201000 bootloader.bin -fs 4MB -z

i can connect by ftp and by telnet

by tenet i got:

import os
os.uname()
(sysname='WiPy', nodename='WiPy', release='0.9.2.b1', version='333b92c on 2016-10-26', machine='WiPy with ESP32')

but when i start wipy2.0 with board2.0
i can not connect by pymark - i do not know why it not "listen" on UART
but i can do above operations again - and as i understand corectly it is done by UART?

[Xykon]

@livius There are some extra steps in the updater to preserve your flash memory (MAC address, files on /flash). Since you skipped these steps it's likely your boot.py was overwritten.

Upload a new boot.py file with the following code:

import os
from machine import UART
uart = UART(0, 115200)
os.dupterm(uart)

P.S. Does anyone know where to find the formatting guide for this forum? I've seen people post source codes with a nice black background and syntax highlighting. How do you do that? Is there a help button somewhere for this?

[Xykon]

import os
from machine import UART
uart = UART(0, 115200)
os.dupterm(uart)

[livius]

Thank you for the help but it does not change anything
still pymakr can not connect :(
I see that update script does erase only some block(3.5MB)
i ommit that and i clear block

If someone have mre concept :)

[livius]

interested that UART work ok
with com port monitor i retrive data without any problem only PYMAKR can not connect

[Xykon]

So far I did manage to get the Linux updater to work.

In ./bin/updater I set BAUD_RATE = 115200 and commented #self.esp.change_baud(baudrate)

I tried the same thing in the Windows version but it still doesn't work.

[Xykon]

OK I got the Windows updater to work as well (though not the GUI).

First make the same modifications to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Pycom\Pycom Firmware Update\Upgrader\bin\updater.py"

Line12: BAUD_RATE = 115200
Line23:#self.esp.change_baud(baudrate)

Now open a command prompt and run:

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Pycom\Pycom Firmware Update\Upgrader"
..\Python27\python.exe bin\updater.py --port COM4 --file firmware\lopy_0.9.2.b1_868.bin

Make sure that you choose the correct COM port and firmware file for your module/region.

[livius]

@LarryTru
you are the best :)

This work for me - but Pymark still can not connect to WiPy2.0 :(
Before upgrade it work ok.
I can only conect by: wifi, ftp, telnet
boot.py looks ok
I also can see data sended by UART programmatically on com port monitor but Pymark can not :(

[livius]

Xykon not LarryTru

[AgriKinetics]

@Xykon Thank you for the assistance - it worked like a dream :)

[Xykon]

It turns out the problem with using 921600bps for firmware upload not working for me was my own test setup... if you use the official expansion board using just the command line on Windows without making changes to updater.py should work as well.

If you happen to use RS232 for UART0 then reducing the firmware upload speed to 115200bps seems to be necessary.

[livius]

I have used official expansion board and without your changes - it not work
Your fix work for me

[Xykon]

@livius said in How to solve the firmware update failures:

I have used official expansion board and without your changes - it not work
Your fix work for me

OK thanks for testing that.

I usually have the module plugged into my PSoC5LP development board's breadboard so I can (among other things like testing I2C and SPI) do remote controlled resets in normal, safeboot and bootloader mode without having to connect any wires. Since that dev board has an RS232 converter on it I connected it to P0/P1 and used an FTDI RS232 cable to get access to the LoPy's UART0. I had a chat with abilio about it and tried again using the expansion board and this time it worked at the higher speed.

Either way I guess the firmware updater should have an optional "high speed upload" switch to choose between 115200 and 921600 bps.

[digsatman]

@Xykon Many thanks - I tried to use the standard pycom windows updater/patcher for 0.9.2.b1 which failed using the offical expansion board. It immediately returned with a "fail" every time I tried although REPL via Putty and PyMakr still worked fine. Having read this thread, I wondered if the high baud rate specified in Line 12 of updater.py might be the problem. Tried again using Windows GUI but still no joy. Finally, tried again using a command window and managed to update both my LoPy's first time. I'd spent a couple of weeks unable to update them over wifi and had write protect problems - hopefully all will me smoother now!

Many thanks to all - especially Xykon - Great work - (another upvote for you!)

[aureleq]

@Xykon Thank you! Finally I was able to update... your post should get pin on top of this post. I connected my Lopy for the first time today and as written in the starting guide I started by the upgrade process. Thought it would be more straight-forward :P Anyway I understand bugs can happen at this early stage.