Hi Ryan - we are struggling to flash the board. We’ve plugged two different laptops to the board and pointed it to the installer website, but the installer doesn’t seem to see it.
is there another way?
What type of computer, how old, and did you try loading the drivers on the jackpot page of the docs?
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@CG_Boatbuilder It will be the drivers. if you look in Device manager (windows pc) you will have an unknown device. remove the usb cord, install the drivers, then try again, should work.
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First, you need a decent trench coat, then you… wait. Wrong forum…
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Which browser are you using? You may need chrome.
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That’s flashing the field
- cue GOODBYE HORSES
So I’m using a 2016 Mac book air. Also tried on a 2022 Mac mini
My son is trying on his Lenovo laptop.
Loaded the latest drivers, did a restart, still not coming up in the web based flashing tool. I see bluetooth drivers, but not the host of USB items that are plugged into the computer. I did verify that the cable is good, it connected my kindle in the same config.
Does the board itself need power on to be flashed?
No.
Are you sure it is not just a charging cable, those are very common.
I got a little practice doing this frequently recently. I use a M1 MacBook Pro.
- You must use Chrome. I never got Safari to successfully complete.
- If the Mac can see the board and presents you with the option, then your drivers are good. If the port options you’re shown do not include the board, then you’ll need to update the drivers (or as Ryan points out, its a charge-only cable.) I used the source on the web installer and that driver worked fine for me. (I could see the board without the new drivers, but updating the driver was one troubleshooting step.)
- If you can select the port with the board, I commonly (most of the time) need to push and hold boot for about 2 seconds. Once the installer makes progress, release the boot button.
I used the FluidNC Web Installer.
https://installer.fluidnc.com/
I had also always removed the ESP32 from the Jackpot when flashing. (Not sure this was necessary.)
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Hopefully that works.
Can I ask why you are flashing it? I ship them out flashed and from there you can update anything from the webUI.
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Hi all - thank you for the support last night. A few updates:
- @dgkeith237 appreciate the Mac specific tips.
- Had to remove the ESP from the jackpot
- Used Chrome and had to hold the boot to allow me to select the board
- Installer flashed? (went to a white screen) then nothing.
- sadly, despite making all this progress, still not able to see the board via WiFi or BT when the jackpot is plugged back into power
@vicious1 - before this thread was forked, my son wrote in because he was unable to see the jackpot over wifi. you pondered that possibly he changed the SSID settings, but since he couldn’t see the board, recommended flashing it to try all over again.
I wonder if my son toasted the ESP?
I’m going to post a clean question because this isn’t the first board we’ve messed up. He usually works on this on his own (after school/weekends when I’m working other projects/errands). I’d like to get a better checklist of power up/power down, plug in/plug out. I think he’s toasting boards when he is fiddling with them trying to correct +/- control wiring, etc.
Try using the instructions from the fluidnc github directly. You do not have to use the web installer. If the fluidterm does not work then I would suggest grabbing a couple new esp’s.
Make sure all the drivers are plugged in correctly. You can miss a whole side of pins if you are not careful. No need to remove them to check just look in from the esp side to see if they are all there. Also that teh little pots are all facing the same direction (closest to the esp).
Never touch any wires while there is USB or Power connected. Wait until all lights have gone out before touching it.
That should be easy to remember and save a lot of heartache.
Uploading a picture of it as is can help us see if something is off by a bit.
Thanks Ryan. I was able to manually get the board to flash, but still no luck in seeing “FluidNC” in wifi or BT.
I feel like there is something simple I’m missing? The esp reflashed with no issues (pretty straightforward once I figured it out).
Sorry for the basic questions, this is driving me crazy…
BT is not turned on. Wifi only unless you change it.
What type of devices are you scanning wifi for, phone, computer, PC, Mac, Android, IOS? When you flashed it did you erase it fully?
Try with the ESP off the jackpot.
Can you post a picture of your Jackpot and ESP32?
Scanned for wifi with iOS and Mac. Not found on either.
I ran: install-WiFi.sh from the terminal. I don’t know if it wipes before or just overwrites. I used release v3.7.11-posix
Here is the esp hanging out trying to send cnc goodness into the world.
Run the erase.sh first, then reflash it
Is the cable a USB type-C to microUSB cable, or are you using a USB Type A to USB Type C convertor at the Mac (or is it a hub?). I had a few dongles that didn’t work, and I ended up using a genuine Apple dongle for conversion to USB Type A (at the Mac.) My hub didn’t work either.
Erase.sh & refreshed.
Final terminal line:
Starting fluidterm
Still not seeing it on iOS (two different phones) or on Mac mini right next to it.
Flash was done USB A to micro USB…
Can you post the fluidterm.sh boot?