ESP32 Flash Download Issue

[Ritesh]

Hello Team,

We have just replaced ESP32-WROVER 16 MB Flash Module with ESP32-WROVER-E 16 MB Flash module which are pin 2 pin replacement but Program is not able to flash.

We are just able to read over UART which means RX is working fine but TX is not working fine.

We are getting below error while flashing firmware using ESP32 Flash Download Tool Latest Version. We have also tried to reduce baudrate to 115200 but still it is not working

Let me know if anyone has faced this type of issue at their end.

[Ritesh]

Hello Team,

We have also tried directly with esptool.py script in which getting following errors while flashing images

esptool.py --chip esp32 --port COM5 --baud 115200 --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode dio --flash_freq 80m --flash_size detect 0x1000 bootloader.bin 0x10000 dfsts_app_nbgw.bin 0x8000 partitions.bin
esptool.py v3.1-dev
Serial port COM5
Connecting........_____....
Chip is ESP32-D0WD-V3 (revision 3)
Features: WiFi, BT, Dual Core, 240MHz, VRef calibration in efuse, Coding Scheme None
Crystal is 40MHz
MAC: 24:d7:eb:6a:24:1c
Uploading stub...
Running stub...
Stub running...
Configuring flash size...
Auto-detected Flash size: 16MB
Flash will be erased from 0x00001000 to 0x00006fff...
Flash will be erased from 0x00010000 to 0x00110fff...
Flash will be erased from 0x00008000 to 0x00008fff...
Flash params set to 0x024f
Compressed 21296 bytes to 13140...
Wrote 21296 bytes (13140 compressed) at 0x00001000 in 1.2 seconds (effective 138.3 kbit/s)...
File md5: a5d6f116c7eff39274b3d1cc1e9a958f
Flash md5: e5282b5c45373dcdf4520cf72f1a791d
MD5 of 0xFF is e21011ded353cce9a14fadceef43623a



A fatal error occurred: MD5 of file does not match data in flash!

So, Let me know if anyone has any clue or solution for the same

[ESP_Sprite]

Is your GPIO12 bootstrap pin level OK?

[Ritesh]

Is your GPIO12 bootstrap pin level OK?

Hello,

We have checked GPIO Enable Pin which seems to find like High when device or module is into operating state but didn't check GPIO12 Bootstrap Pin.

But the strange thing is like ESP32-WROVER module is working fine into same board and we have just replaced ESP32-WROVER Module with ESP32-WROVER-E Module. Then We have checked standalone ESP32-WROVER-E module with some wiring which is working fine means able to get image and also able to flash image.

So, I don't know that why it is not working into our product after replacing it. We have also replaced with another ESP32-WROVER-E module but results are same like getting error while flashing images using ESP32 Flash Download Tool or esptool.py binary

Let me know if you have any other clue or solution for the same

[ESP_Sprite]

The difference between those two modules is that the Wrover uses 1.8V flash/psram and the Wrover-E uses 3.3V flash and psram; as such, for the former you need GPIO12 pulled up while for the latter you need it pulled down. If your design pulls up GPIO12, a Wrover-E will run into issues as the flash isn't getting enough voltage.

[Ritesh]

The difference between those two modules is that the Wrover uses 1.8V flash/psram and the Wrover-E uses 3.3V flash and psram; as such, for the former you need GPIO12 pulled up while for the latter you need it pulled down. If your design pulls up GPIO12, a Wrover-E will run into issues as the flash isn't getting enough voltage.

Thanks ESP_Sprite for your quick response.

I will check regarding GPIO12 state into our board and also on standlone module and let you know states for both.

[Ritesh]

Hello ESP_Sprite,

Would you please let us know what are the other changes except 1.8V and 3.3V Flash/PSRAM difference between ESP32-WROVER and ESP32-WROVER-E Module?

Because we have checked and found GPIO12 State between ESP32-WROVER and ESP32-WROVER-E Module like below

ESP32-WROVER - 3.29 V into Run Mode and 2.4 V into Boot Mode
ESP32-WROVER-E - 0 V into Boot Mode and 400 mv into Run Mode

Let me check ESP32-WROVER-E Module state with our product and will let you know results for the same.

[Ritesh]

Hello ESP_Sprite,

Let me know if you have any update as per few queries which I have sent it earlier.

Also , We have found that GPIO12 should be pulled down for new design with ESP32-WROVER-E Module otherwise failed to intialize SPIFFS if we will keep as pulled up after flashing images.

We have also used GPIO12 as SPI Clock into ESP32-WROVER Module which we need to change because clock can't be generated due to pulled low GPIO12 for ESP32-WROVER-E Module.

Let me correct if i am wrong at any place

[Ritesh]

Hello ESP_Sprite,

Any update from your end?

[Ritesh]

Hello @Espressif Systems,

We have found following list of main changes while comparing ESP32-WROVER (16 MB) Module to ESP32-WROVER-E (16 MB).

Flash and PSRAM are operating on 3.3V instead of 1.8 V
GPIO Operating Voltage is changed to 3.0 V to 3.6 V from 2.3V to 3.6V
MTDI (GPIO12) is pulled up into ESP32-WROVER while it is pulled down into ESP32-WROVER-E Module

Let us know if any other critical change apart from above which will affect overall product design like GPIO12 is creating issue at our end.

Also, We would like to know that GPIO12 should be pulled down forever or it needs to be pulled down initially. I would like know what is the reason to make GPIO12 to be pulled down?