ESP8266 Community Forum

- Thu Dec 29, 2016 10:10 am #60086 Hey Dilettante, and others,

I have the same module you referenced in the first post in this thread.
I searched for "Makerfocus ESP8266 Module ESP-12E NodeMcu" and found the same module picture on Amazon. So I think they are the same module.

So I first did a "Firmware Flash" from the OS utility, choosing 4M for Flash Size. No problem.

Then I decided to try a "Format Flash" and it "seemed" to fail. After waiting for a bit for response from module to reboot I got just a few garbage characters. Then I went back and re-tried to "Format Flash" again and the tool crashed right away. So then I closed the tool, powered down the module, held in the reset and flash button and powered up (plugged in the usb) and tried the tool again but did the "Firmware Flash" and it did work and the module came up as expected.

I rarely have had to use the "Format Flash" option from the tool. I have always just used the "Firmware Flash" and all is good.

This seems similar to what you reported earlier when you said all you got was a few garbage characters and nothing on the wifi side.

Give it a go again and choose "firmware flash"
I usually don't start the flasher tool until after I have powered up the module. That way the tool can find the Comm port assigned to the module.

Mike... is there a problem with the "Format Flash"???

hope this helps
dwight

- Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:31 am #60096 Just wanted to provide an update here, I'm a beginner so bare with me if I say anything wrong:

Issue: Firmware flash results in strange characters at the end of the flash using ESP_Basic_Flasher.exe. No wifi ever comes up after reboot with ESP_Basic_Flasher.exe or ESP8266Flasher.exe. Image example here: http://i.imgur.com/uNtwibK.png ...the same strange characters appear when attempting to view terminal

Issue 2: Format Flash with ESP_Basic_Flasher.exe results in 'esptool.exe has stopped working', and a blank 'Notice' popup. Image example here: http://i.imgur.com/4J3Kfvs.png

I have tried:

2x ESP8266's (link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01IK ... UTF8&psc=1)
Multiple USB ports
Multiple USB cables
Multiple Basic firmware versions
2x Windows machines: Windows 10, Windows 7
Run programs as adminstrator
ESP_Basic_Flasher.exe from here: https://www.esp8266basic.com/flashing-instructions.html
ESP8266Flasher.exe from here and manually navigating to the 4m .bin (9600 baud, 0x00000, 4MByte, 40MHz, DIO) : https://github.com/nodemcu/nodemcu-flasher
I even python'd my way through using esptool.py and the commands I believed to be correct and it still did not work after flash.

Last edited by yodandy on Sat Dec 31, 2016 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

- Thu Dec 29, 2016 1:06 pm #60101 For now I would STOP using the "format" selection in the tool.
Just use the "Firmware Flash" choice. You may need to try a couple of times. It is NORMAL to see a few garbage characters as I believe that is the module outputting some data to the serial connection at 115200 baud befor the new BASIC OS take over and sets the baud rate to 9600.

Once you get the Firmware Flash to complete then reset the module (power cycle) or hit the reset button if it has one. Then open your terminal window (I use Putty) and select the comm port at 9600 baud. you should then see something like this...

0▒n?▒4▒!▒▒▒▒OSAJ▒▒HTTP Port: 80
ESP Basic 3.0.Alpha 65
MAC: 1A:FE:34:D4:E1:60
1
2

Connected to infected
IP address : 10.0.0.9
WIFIname
WIFIpass - See more at: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=12935&start=20#sthash.FTmDqcwo.dpuf

You should then be able to connect to the reported IP address, either directly or through your LAN.

(I have never really understood the usefulness of the "Format" choice. I think it is intended to clear out some instances where there is a problem with your module, but for now I would avoid it as I also am getting the same crash)

Dwight

- Thu Dec 29, 2016 1:09 pm #60102 For now I would STOP using the "format" selection in the tool.
Just use the "Firmware Flash" choice. You may need to try a couple of times. If you see the blue LED on the module blinking at a fast rate for say 15-30 seconds then that indicates it is updating/loading the firmware. When it stops flashing you should see some indication from the tool that the process is complete.

It is NORMAL to see a few garbage characters as I believe that is the module outputting some data to the serial connection at 115200 baud before the newly installed BASIC OS take over and sets the baud rate to 9600.

Once you get the Firmware Flash to complete then reset the module (power cycle) or hit the reset button if it has one. Then open your terminal window (I use Putty) and select the comm port at 9600 baud. you should then see something like this...

0▒n?▒4▒!▒▒▒▒OSAJ▒▒HTTP Port: 80
ESP Basic 3.0.Alpha 65
MAC: 1A:FE:34:D4:E1:60
1
2

Connected to infected
IP address : 10.0.0.9
WIFIname
WIFIpass -

You should then be able to connect to the reported IP address, either directly or through your LAN. But also keep watching the serial port for additional useful feedback!

(I have never really understood the usefulness of the "Format" choice. I think it is intended to clear out some instances where there is a problem with your module, but for now I would avoid it as I also am getting the same crash)

Dwight