E series module stop working, can not flash but glowing cyan

Troubleshooting
1

I just bought the e series evaluation board 2G/3G and to be honest it’s really frustrating to develop with this ecosystem. In a cooperate environment, it’s not easy.

If you forget about the Particle IDE problems I have during development, I created hardware and wrote some code to validate that my hardware works. Now it’s time to get finish my proof of concept.

I can not get a reliable way to flash using the online IDE at work. I am on wifi and ethernet.
I get those error message saying “it’s longer then normal, wait” or other similar message that disappear super fast.

I tried Visual Studio and was super happy about it but does not work at work because I am 100% certain that I get block by firewall since get error when downloading toolchain and other stuff.

Right now, as I write this, I am at home and using Visual Studio.
Last night, I was compiling (both offline and cloud) and that was working.
I was flashing (both offline and cloud) and that was working. ( I tried both since I was learning about the command like in VSC)
I was in DFU with yellow light and then clicking flashing and was working fine.

But now, I can not even change the code in my module. Nothing works.
For test purpose, I just want to blink LED.
Right now, the module is glowing cyan and the particle console can see it. I am online.

When in web IDE and click flash, I get "Flash successful! Your device is being updated…"
same for VSC

  • I ping it and it respond (Last Handshake: Mar 13th 2019, 5:35 pm )
  • I run diagnostic and everything is healthy
  • Device OS is unknown in my particle console
  • DFU does not work anymore with VSC
  • Clean Application (local) in VSC
  • I am on chrome Version 73.0.3683.75 (Official Build) (64-bit)
  • 1.0.1 for my eserie
  • I am not deep down in basement or cave ( I have clear view of outside)
  • I have clear the cache
  • Change USB cable
  • Lipo is not connected
  • closed chrome
  • rebooted
  • It’s COM26 on my laptop
  • I have no SIMs here… https://console.particle.io/sims
    I remenber last time I could see my data usage and could pause SIM, etc. I can’t find this in my console.
  • I did create a “product” in my console for the sake of learning. Could that stop my SIM?

Should I do firmware reset?
well first I will test tomorrow at work.

I did try the “safe mode” but don’t know what do to when it’s in safe mode.

here are info from listening mode
system firmware version: 1.0.1
system info
{“p”:10,“imei”:"(masked)",“iccid”:"(Masked)",“m”:[{“s”:16384,“
l”:“m”,“vc”:30,“vv”:30,“f”:“b”,“n”:“0”,“v”:201,“d”:[]},{“s”:393216,“l”:“m”,“vc”:
30,“vv”:0,“d”:[]},{“s”:393216,“l”:“f”,“vc”:30,“vv”:0,“d”:[]}]}

here is after msg I got when I flash using DFU and VSC.

Opening DFU capable USB device...
ID 2b04:d00a
Run-time device DFU version 011a
Claiming USB DFU Interface...
Setting Alternate Setting #0 ...
Determining device status: state = dfuIDLE, status = 0
dfuIDLE, continuing
DFU mode device DFU version 011a
Device returned transfer size 4096
DfuSe interface name: "Internal Flash   "
Downloading to address = 0x080a0000, size = 4392
Download        [=========================] 100%         4392 bytes
Download done.
File downloaded successfully
make[2]: Leaving directory '/****/.particle/toolchains/deviceOS/1.0.1/firmware-1.0.1/modules/photon/user-part'
make[1]: Nothing to be done for 'program-dfu'.
make[1]: Leaving directory '/****/.particle/toolchains/deviceOS/1.0.1/firmware-1.0.1/main'
2

I believe the problem comes from the fact that I created a “product” using my e serie module.
But I created a product this afternoon and was not working this morning.

[EDIT]
remove the product and now can see my SIM card usage like before. I then open VSC and tried programming in DFU mode and nothing work.

3

Hi @robomaniac,

I pulled up the logs for your device and I’m seeing “flash requires modules not present”, which to me indicates something very wrong has happened with the system firmware you’ve flashed to your device over DFU.

Please run an particle inspect on your device while it’s in flashing blue / listening mode. And post the results here. It should tell us what system module is wrong on your device.

Thanks,
David

1 Like
4

you mean particle serial inspect right?

particle serial inspect

Platform: 10 - Electron
Modules
  Bootloader module #0 - version 201, main location, 16384 bytes max size
    Integrity: PASS
    Address Range: PASS
    Platform: PASS
    Dependencies: PASS
  System module #1 - version 1002, main location, 131072 bytes max size
    Integrity: PASS
    Address Range: PASS
    Platform: PASS
    Dependencies: PASS
      System module #3 - version 1002
  System module #2 - version 1002, main location, 131072 bytes max size
    Integrity: PASS
    Address Range: PASS
    Platform: PASS
    Dependencies: PASS
      System module #1 - version 1002
      Bootloader module #0 - version 201
  System module #3 - version 1002, main location, 131072 bytes max size
    Integrity: PASS
    Address Range: PASS
    Platform: PASS
    Dependencies: PASS
      System module #2 - version 110
  User module #1 - version 5, main location, 131072 bytes max size
    UUID: E6***************************************************************************************7
    Integrity: PASS
    Address Range: PASS
    Platform: PASS
    Dependencies: PASS
      System module #2 - version 1002
  empty - factory location, 131072 bytes max size
5

before I read your message, I did a particle update in CLI and when it was done, it automatically rebooted and got my LED flashing after that. I then change the delay and flash but that did not work.

1 Like
6

ok @Dave, I am back on track! After that CLI command and been in safe mode, things started to work again.

I can now program the “function variable” example code via the web IDE and open my iOS app to see the POT value and change the LED.

that works. :+1:

I then open VSC with my blink LED code and flash it and that works.:+1:
Also I realise that inside my new project in VSC, I had photon selected instead of electron and added the name of the device that I wanted to program. It’s all writing in the bottom blue line.

so in resumé for people having similar issue.

  1. Open CLI and write particle update that will reflash module.
  2. Check status of module in lsiten mode then open CLI and type particle serial inspect
  3. Test in web IDE since making configuration mistake is less likely

now it’s time to code, thank you

and Dave, please let me know what I did wrong so I don’t reproduce it.
To be honest, I think it’s related to me “creating a product” in the particle console. I still not sure when and why I should create a product.

1 Like
7

Hi @robomaniac,

I’m glad things are back and working well for you again! It does look like you fixed it by running particle update. I’m surprised that workbench might have flashed the wrong system part (for a photon) to your electron / e-series.

Creating a product in the console is great when you have lots of similar devices and you want them to all run the same firmware, or you’re going to start selling them as a product and you want the ability to manage them and your business fleet of devices / products.

Thanks,
David

1 Like