Fast Blinking Cyan Electron

Troubleshooting
1

I have seen quite a lot of question about this issue… Fast blinking cyan electron and then after 10 seconds later red flashes once and the cycle repeats. I am experiencing the same problem with my Electron. This problem started when I introduced a firmware to my Electron outlined in this document.

https://docs.particle.io/support/troubleshooting/firmware-upgrades/photon/

Using the command (after putting the Electron in DFU mode).

particle flash --usb system-part1-1.0.0-electron.bin
particle flash --usb system-part2-1.0.0-electron.bin
particle flash --usb system-part3-1.0.0-electron.bin

I later found out that I could simple run this command to upgrade my Electron firmware (after putting the Electron in DFU mode)

particle update

To remedy my fast flashing cyan LED, I tried these commands after putting it in DFU mode (flashing yellow)

particle keys doctor
and this the is output I get…

image

I notice that the Electron goes to flashing cyan even before the command is completed.
Not too sure why.

particle keys server
and this the is output I get…

image

I am so close to finish testing IoT coverage and support in rural Alberta, Canada, unfortunately this has set me back many days.

Appreciate all your help.

2

I tried this command…

particle update

I get this output

image

The “particle update” command showed successful but the the fast blinking cyan continued after the Electron rebooted.

Other forum talked about about Particle Services being down. It looked ok during this test.

https://status.particle.io/#

4

Could you try particle update -v to get some more output.
Could you also post the output of particle serial inspect?

5

Here is the output to particle update -v

C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads>particle update -v

> Your device is ready for a system update.
> This process should take about 30 seconds. Here it goes!

█ Updating system firmware on the device...dfu-util 0.8

Copyright 2005-2009 Weston Schmidt, Harald Welte and OpenMoko Inc.
Copyright 2010-2014 Tormod Volden and Stefan Schmidt
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Please report bugs to dfu-util@lists.gnumonks.org

▄ Updating system firmware on the device...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 = 0x08020000, size = 120308
Download        [=========================] 100%       120308 bytes
Download done.
File downloaded successfully
Invalid DFU suffix signature
A valid DFU suffix will be required in a future dfu-util release!!!
▄ Updating system firmware on the device...dfu-util 0.8

Copyright 2005-2009 Weston Schmidt, Harald Welte and OpenMoko Inc.
Copyright 2010-2014 Tormod Volden and Stefan Schmidt
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Please report bugs to dfu-util@lists.gnumonks.org

▀ Updating system firmware on the device...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 = 0x08040000, size = 121300
Download        [=========================] 100%       121300 bytes
Download done.
File downloaded successfully
Invalid DFU suffix signature
A valid DFU suffix will be required in a future dfu-util release!!!
▀ Updating system firmware on the device...dfu-util 0.8

Copyright 2005-2009 Weston Schmidt, Harald Welte and OpenMoko Inc.
Copyright 2010-2014 Tormod Volden and Stefan Schmidt
This program is Free Software and has ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
Please report bugs to dfu-util@lists.gnumonks.org

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 = 0x08060000, size = 77408
Download        [=========================] 100%        77408 bytes
Download done.
File downloaded successfully
Invalid DFU suffix signature
A valid DFU suffix will be required in a future dfu-util release!!!
! System firmware update successfully completed!

> Your device should now restart automatically.

C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads>

Some of the log got indented… Here is the actual command prompt screenshot.

image
image646×993 33.2 KB

6

Here is the output for particle serial inspect


image


The command particle serial inspect timed out


But the particle serial monitor command stayed in that “Serial monitor opened successfully” for inifinite time as there is not serial output from my program. But if I introduce printf (statement as shown below) it outputs the appropriate text though the serial port.

Serial.printlnf(“Pub String : %s”, publishString);

7

Was the device in Listening Mode at the time?

8

Here is the output from the command particle serial inspect in Listen Mode.

image

9

Hello ScruffR,

Just was wondering if you had some input on my issue with rapid blinking cyan LED.

10

The screenshots so far don’t show anything out the ordinary. So the next thing to try is flashing this to your Electron and see what the logs tell

11

Sounds good. I will give it a shot when I get back to my office

12

I did this as per the link provided by rickkas7

image
image916×495 24 KB

After applying the firmware, the cyan LED is still flashing rapidly.

Here are my outputs.

C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads>particle flash --usb firmware.bin

Flash success!

C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads>particle serial monitor
Opening serial monitor for com port: "COM3"
Serial monitor opened successfully:
clouddebug: press letter corresponding to the command
a - enter APN for 3rd-party SIM card
k - set keep-alive value
c - show carriers at this location
t - run normal tests (occurs automatically after 10 seconds)
or tap the MODE button once to show carriers
starting tests...
turning cellular on...
deviceID=230029000351373330393736
manufacturer=u-blox
model=SARA-U260
firmware version=23.20
ordering code=SARA-U260-00S-01
IMEI=352580082805826
IMSI=u-blox
ICCID=8934075500003392033
0000020912 [app] INFO: enabling trace logging
attempting to connect to the cellular network...
0000020912 [system] INFO: Sim Ready
0000020912 [system] INFO: Sim Ready
0000020914 [system] INFO: ARM_WLAN_WD 1
0000020914 [system] INFO: ARM_WLAN_WD 1

[ Modem::register ] = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    20.915 AT send      10 "AT+CREG?\r\n"
    20.925 AT read  +   32 "\r\n+CREG: 2,5,\"F370\",\"45F658\",6\r\n"
    20.935 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    20.935 AT send      11 "AT+CGREG?\r\n"
    20.945 AT read  +   38 "\r\n+CGREG: 2,5,\"F370\",\"45F658\",6,\"01\"\r\n"
    20.956 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    20.956 AT send      10 "AT+COPS?\r\n"
    21.006 AT read  +   43 "\r\n+COPS: 0,0,\"CAN Rogers Wireless Inc.\",2\r\n"
    21.017 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    21.017 AT send       8 "AT+CSQ\r\n"
    21.027 AT read  +   14 "\r\n+CSQ: 11,3\r\n"
    21.037 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"

[ Modem::join ] = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
    21.037 AT send      12 "AT+CGATT=1\r\n"
    21.048 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    21.048 AT send      14 "AT+UPSND=0,8\r\n"
    21.058 AT read  +   17 "\r\n+UPSND: 0,8,1\r\n"
    21.068 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    21.068 AT send      14 "AT+UPSND=0,0\r\n"
    21.078 AT read  +   30 "\r\n+UPSND: 0,0,\"10.45.138.16\"\r\n"
    21.088 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    21.088 AT send      14 "AT+UPSND=0,1\r\n"
    21.098 AT read  +   30 "\r\n+UPSND: 0,1,\"80.58.61.250\"\r\n"
    21.108 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    21.108 AT send      14 "AT+UPSND=0,2\r\n"
    21.118 AT read  +   30 "\r\n+UPSND: 0,2,\"80.58.61.254\"\r\n"
    21.128 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
0000021129 [system] INFO: ARM_WLAN_WD 2
0000021129 [system] INFO: ARM_WLAN_WD 2
0000021129 [system] INFO: CLR_WLAN_WD 1, DHCP success
0000021129 [system] INFO: CLR_WLAN_WD 1, DHCP success
connected to the cellular network in 0 milliseconds
connected to cellular network!
    21.132 AT send      12 "AT+UDOPN=9\r\n"
    21.183 AT read  +   40 "\r\n+UDOPN: 2,\"CAN Rogers Wireless Inc.\"\r\n"
    21.194 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
operator name=CAN Rogers Wireless Inc.
    21.194 AT send       8 "AT+CSQ\r\n"
    21.205 AT read  +   14 "\r\n+CSQ: 11,3\r\n"
    21.215 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
rssi=-91, qual=3
    21.215 AT send      11 "AT+CGED=5\r\n"
    21.225 AT read ERR  39 "\r\n+CME ERROR: operation not supported\r\n"
    21.225 AT send      11 "AT+CGED=3\r\n"
    21.246 AT read  +   22 "\r\n+CGED: RAT:\"UMTS\",\r\n"
    21.256 AT read UNK  61 "\r\nMCC:302, MNC:720, LAC:f370, CI:045f658, DLF:1037
, ULF:812\r\n"
    21.267 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
0000021268 [app] INFO: service rat=UMTS mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=f370 ci=45f658 ban
d=DCS 1800 rssi=0 dlf=1037 ulf=812
0000021268 [app] INFO: service rat=UMTS mcc=302, mnc=720, lac=f370 ci=45f658 ban
d=DCS 1800 rssi=0 dlf=1037 ulf=812
    21.269 AT send      20 "AT+UPING=\"8.8.8.8\"\r\n"
    21.280 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
ping addr 8.8.8.8=1
    21.280 AT send      31 "AT+UDNSRN=0,\"device.spark.io\"\r\n"
    24.011 AT read  +   28 "\r\n+UDNSRN: \"34.201.17.242\"\r\n"
    24.021 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
device.spark.io=34.201.17.242
connecting to cloud
0000024022 [system] INFO: Cloud: connecting
0000024022 [system] INFO: Cloud: connecting
0000024023 [system] TRACE: sparkSocket Now =-1
0000024027 [system] INFO: Read Server Address = type:1,domain:$id.udp.particle.i
o
0000024027 [system] INFO: Read Server Address = type:1,domain:$id.udp.particle.i
o
    24.027 AT send      56 "AT+UDNSRN=0,\"230029000351373330393736.udp.particle.
io\"\r\n"
    24.048 AT read  +   27 "\r\n+UDNSRN: \"18.215.16.45\"\r\n"
    24.058 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
0000024060 [system] INFO: Resolved host 230029000351373330393736.udp.particle.io
 to 18.215.16.45
0000024060 [system] INFO: Resolved host 230029000351373330393736.udp.particle.io
 to 18.215.16.45
    24.060 AT send      15 "AT+USOCTL=0,1\r\n"
    24.070 AT read  +   18 "\r\n+USOCTL: 0,1,0\r\n"
    24.080 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
Socket handle 0 was open, now closing...
    24.080 AT send      12 "AT+USOCL=0\r\n"
    24.531 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
Socket handle 0 was closed.
    24.531 AT send      15 "AT+USOCTL=1,1\r\n"
    24.532 AT read  +   68 "\r\n+UUPING: 1,32,\"google-public-dns-a.google.com\"
,\"8.8.8.8\",118,810\r\n"
    24.543 AT read ERR  37 "\r\n+CME ERROR: operation not allowed\r\n"
    24.543 AT send      15 "AT+USOCTL=2,1\r\n"
    24.554 AT read ERR  37 "\r\n+CME ERROR: operation not allowed\r\n"
    24.554 AT send      15 "AT+USOCTL=3,1\r\n"
    24.565 AT read ERR  37 "\r\n+CME ERROR: operation not allowed\r\n"
    24.565 AT send      15 "AT+USOCTL=4,1\r\n"
    24.576 AT read ERR  37 "\r\n+CME ERROR: operation not allowed\r\n"
    24.576 AT send      15 "AT+USOCTL=5,1\r\n"
    24.587 AT read ERR  37 "\r\n+CME ERROR: operation not allowed\r\n"
    24.587 AT send      15 "AT+USOCTL=6,1\r\n"
    24.598 AT read ERR  37 "\r\n+CME ERROR: operation not allowed\r\n"
socketSocket: closed stale socket handle(s)
socketSocket(UDP)
    24.599 AT send      18 "AT+USOCR=17,5684\r\n"
    24.610 AT read  +   13 "\r\n+USOCR: 0\r\n"
    24.620 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 was created
0000024621 [system] TRACE: socketed udp=1, sparkSocket=0, 1
0000024621 [system] TRACE: connection attempt to 18.215.16.45:5684
0000024622 [system] INFO: Cloud socket connected
0000024622 [system] INFO: Cloud socket connected
0000024624 [system] INFO: Starting handshake: presense_announce=0
0000024624 [system] INFO: Starting handshake: presense_announce=0
0000024626 [comm.protocol.handshake] INFO: Establish secure connection
0000024626 [comm.protocol.handshake] INFO: Establish secure connection
0000024637 [comm.dtls] TRACE: restore size mismatch 1: 0/220
0000024637 [comm.dtls] INFO: (CMPL,RENEG,NO_SESS,ERR) restoreStatus=2
0000024637 [comm.dtls] INFO: (CMPL,RENEG,NO_SESS,ERR) restoreStatus=2
0000024640 [system] TRACE: send 115
socketSendTo(0,18.215.16.45,5684,,115)
    24.639 AT send      36 "AT+USOST=0,\"18.215.16.45\",5684,115\r\n"
    24.650 AT read  >    3 "\r\n@"
    24.700 AT send     115 "\x16\xfe\xfd\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00f\x0
1\x00\x00Z\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00Z\xfe\xfd\x95\xad\x05\xff}\x80.\xa8\xbc\x1
f\xe1\x98\x8c\x84\xfeY\xf0\xa8\xe4\f\xbe\x9ei\xfa\x03F\x86\x01\xf3_\xbd\xe2\x00\
x00\x00\x04\xc0\xae\x00\xff\x01\x00\x00,\x00\r\x00\x0e\x00\f\x04\x03\x04\x01\x03
\x03\x03\x01\x02\x03\x02\x01\x00\n\x00\x04\x00\x02\x00\x17\x00\v\x00\x02\x01\x00
\x00\x13\x00\x02\x01\x02\x00\x14\x00\x02\x01\x02"
    24.855 AT read  +   17 "\r\n+USOST: 0,115\r\n"
    24.865 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    24.865 AT send      14 "AT+USORF=0,0\r\n"
    24.875 AT read  +   15 "\r\n+USORF: 0,0\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 0 bytes pending
    24.885 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    25.415 AT read  +   68 "\r\n+UUPING: 2,32,\"google-public-dns-a.google.com\"
,\"8.8.8.8\",118,624\r\n"
    26.206 AT read  +   17 "\r\n+UUSORD: 0,60\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 60 bytes pending
    26.216 AT send      17 "AT+USORF=0,1024\r\n"
    26.236 AT read  +   97 "\r\n+USORF: 0,\"18.215.16.45\",5684,60,\"\x16\xfe\xf
d\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00/\x03\x00\x00#\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00#
\xfe\xfd \\\\<vRK\r\x90\x04DA4\xd0\xc8\xadD\xcfZ&\xe3\xb0Y9\xca\xb1\xf2\xe9M\xc5
\f\x06&\""
    26.250 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    26.250 AT send      14 "AT+USORF=0,0\r\n"
    26.260 AT read  +   15 "\r\n+USORF: 0,0\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 0 bytes pending
    26.270 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
0000026271 [system] TRACE: received 60
0000026271 [system] TRACE: send 147
socketSendTo(0,18.215.16.45,5684,,147)
    26.271 AT send      36 "AT+USOST=0,\"18.215.16.45\",5684,147\r\n"
    26.282 AT read  >    3 "\r\n@"
    26.332 AT send     147 "\x16\xfe\xfd\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x86
\x01\x00\x00z\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00z\xfe\xfd\x95\xad\x05\xff}\x80.\xa8\xbc
\x1f\xe1\x98\x8c\x84\xfeY\xf0\xa8\xe4\f\xbe\x9ei\xfa\x03F\x86\x01\xf3_\xbd\xe2\x
00 \\\\<vRK\r\x90\x04DA4\xd0\xc8\xadD\xcfZ&\xe3\xb0Y9\xca\xb1\xf2\xe9M\xc5\f\x06
&\x00\x04\xc0\xae\x00\xff\x01\x00\x00,\x00\r\x00\x0e\x00\f\x04\x03\x04\x01\x03\x
03\x03\x01\x02\x03\x02\x01\x00\n\x00\x04\x00\x02\x00\x17\x00\v\x00\x02\x01\x00\x
00\x13\x00\x02\x01\x02\x00\x14\x00\x02\x01\x02"
    26.489 AT read  +   17 "\r\n+USOST: 0,147\r\n"
    26.499 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    26.499 AT send      14 "AT+USORF=0,0\r\n"
    26.509 AT read  +   15 "\r\n+USORF: 0,0\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 0 bytes pending
    26.519 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    26.619 AT read  +   68 "\r\n+UUPING: 3,32,\"google-public-dns-a.google.com\"
,\"8.8.8.8\",118,963\r\n"
    27.870 AT read  +   18 "\r\n+UUSORD: 0,118\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 118 bytes pending
    27.880 AT send      17 "AT+USORF=0,1024\r\n"
    27.900 AT read  +  156 "\r\n+USORF: 0,\"18.215.16.45\",5684,118,\"\x16\xfe\x
fd\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00i\x02\x00\x00]\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00
]\xfe\xfd\\\\<x\xd2\xa0\xcc{\xa6\xb1 \xa8\x04j\x98\xb9\x0fZ\xf8\xd3-\xda\x1a\xf4
Z\xe8\x16\xf4\x12\xb3$\xf8 d_\xa3\x89J\xf3B\a\x16\f\xe9\x95\xe1x\xbc\x04a^\xa0]\
x94\xbe\xd6<\x84w\x91\xc5\xa3\xf9\xde\x83\xc0\xae\x00\x00\x15\xff\x01\x00\x01\x0
0\x00\v\x00\x02\x01\x00\x00\x13\x00\x01\x02\x00\x14\x00\x01\x02\""
    27.917 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    27.917 AT send      14 "AT+USORF=0,0\r\n"
    27.927 AT read  +   15 "\r\n+USORF: 0,0\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 0 bytes pending
    27.937 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
0000027938 [system] TRACE: received 118
    27.937 AT read  +   18 "\r\n+UUSORD: 0,169\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 169 bytes pending
    27.948 AT send      17 "AT+USORF=0,1024\r\n"
    27.978 AT read  +  207 "\r\n+USORF: 0,\"18.215.16.45\",5684,169,\"\x16\xfe\x
fd\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x02\x00\x9c\f\x00\x00\x90\x00\x02\x00\x00\x00\x00
\x00\x90\x03\x00\x17A\x04(A\x8c\x8b\xda\xf3^\x98\xfa\xbc\x9c\xd1\x8d\xe1t\xdc\xc
dm\xd2}*\x03\x89\xa3}\n<\x02\x87\xc2\x99\xb9\xc6O\xaeu.\x94JdZ\x0f1\xc1_\xa2l\xb
9\xa9\x1cum\x93\xa3\x97q\xa5\x0f\xb8%\x93\x17\xe38\x04\x03\x00G0E\x02 W\xae\xd28
\x80\x93\xe4'\xcfs\xd0\x0f\x86\x9dmW*\xa7n\x8f\xa1\xab\x89E\xea\xf3\xfa3 \x83\xa
5\xf7\x02!\x00\xba(\xf6\xfcg?\x1b;\"Sr\xd5\\$e\x0f%\xe5%\xbc\xceS\xfcT\xec\xa5\x
d6SM\xce\xa1\x0f\""
    27.996 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
    27.996 AT send      14 "AT+USORF=0,0\r\n"
    27.996 AT read  +   17 "\r\n+UUSORF: 1,33\r\n"
Socket -1: handle 1 has 33 bytes pending
    28.007 AT read  +   16 "\r\n+USORF: 0,58\r\n"
Socket 0: handle 0 has 58 bytes pending
    28.017 AT read OK    6 "\r\nOK\r\n"
0000028018 [system] TRACE: received 169
Caught Interrupt.  Cleaning up.
Serial connection closed.

C:\Users\Administrator\Downloads>
13

Are there any short orange/red bursts amongst the rapid cyan blinks?

14

Have you attempted to see if your device comes online when flashing Tinker to it?

What device OS version did you upgrade from to get to 1.0.0?

15

Hi ScruffR. There is no short orangeéred bursts amongst the rapid cyan blinks.

16

Hi @mstanley.

I flashed the tinker using the following command.

particle flash --usb tinker

image

But the rapid cyan flashing returns back after the flash and reboot of the Electron.

17

I loaded this blink program and the LED is not blinking but the cyan rapid blink is on going.

int led1 = D6;
int led2 = D7;

void setup() {
pinMode(led1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(led2, OUTPUT);

}
void loop() {
digitalWrite(led1, HIGH);
digitalWrite(led2, HIGH);

delay(1000);

digitalWrite(led1, LOW);
digitalWrite(led2, LOW);
delay(1000);
}

18

That’s very strange. Rapid flashing cyan is typically an indication that it’s establishing cellular connection but failing a connection to the cloud. I wonder if you are in a weak signal area.

Could you provide me with your device ID in a direct message so that I can try to inspect things further on our end?

19

Hi mstanley,

Sent you a message.

20

Just wanted to check up on your message to see if any of the information provided was helpful in resolving your issue.

21

We reset the key and it was working for a bit last night.

But our serial port is not working anymore, not too sure if it was something to do with the resetting or is it just cable. When we enter “particle serial monitor” in the DOS prompt it says to reinstall the CLI tool using the “npm uninstall -g particle-cli” command. I read somewhere that if I have a NodeJS in my machine it give some grief so we started uninstalling the NodeJS. I am not too sure how far our development team is today but I will keep you posted. Shortly today.