ESP32 Flash Download Tool

[selec1]

Hello,

I am trying to upload firmware to my ESP32 using Flash Download Tool. Project is created in PlatformIO using Arduino framework
Everything works fine when I add 4 files with their addresses (bootloader @0x1000, partitions @0x8000, boot_app @0xe000, and firmware @0x10000), but when I use CombineBin command, it erases my NVS.
I know that CombineBin erases everything that is not defined, but how I can keep my NVS partition? Is there any way to "skip" this part of flash when combining all files in single .bin?

Thanks!

[chegewara]

Hi,

no, there is no such option, because all files are combined into 1 big file/image, which is most like flashed from address 0x0000. I am saying probably, because its natural logic, which i also found in adafruit script that is combining files with python script, but i am not sure.

[ESP_Angus]

Hi selec,

chegewara is right, the only way to "skip" part of the flash is to flash two files (which can still be done in a single command) so that the range with nvs_flash isn't covered by the file contents.

The "combined binary" is a plain binary file where any gaps are filled with 0xFF, so this will write over any parts of the flash in between the different addresses of the input files.

If you flash the input files individually (can still be at the same time), the gaps are preserved.

[selec1]

Thank you both for answers.