ESP32-WROVER-IE-N8R8 programming errors

[ESP_Sprite]

It actually is documented; the datasheet calls out GPIO2 as a bootstrap pin which needs to be low on download mode. I should have caught that when looking at your issue; sorry you had to desolder the ESP to figure that one out.

[jamesarm97]

Yes, now I understand. If I program the module out of circuit (which I did for testing) and put it in, it will run because normal boot mode (SPI) doesn't care about GPIO2, but anytime you use the programmer / esptool, even to get the chip info, it must always be pulling GPIO0 low which is an undefined situation with GPIO2 High and must be doing something with the internal SPI or chip modes (it doesn't really say what IO0 low and IO2 high equates to, just that it must be low and low). I will have to figure out how to use the reset chip or a FET on the IO0 line to control the pull-up on IO2 for external I2C since we are using every pin and I can't see where I can move it to.