Can't install ESP32-S3 VM from URL

[Sean shao]

Many S3 boards have only one USB port and will use a CDC mode USB serial port after flashing the MicroBlocks firmware. These boards cannot be upgraded by installing the firmware from a URL.
However, it is possible to flash the firmware in vscode.

[John Maloney]

MicroBlocks seems to have difficulty getting certain S3 boards to go into boot mode. It is not a problem for all boards. For example,I have a ESP32-C3-DevKitC-02 with a single USB port and the "install ESP firmware from URL" command works perfectly, which is making it difficult for me to debug the problem.

I need help from users who have problematic S3 boards to solve this problem.

Do you see the "Connecting..." screen but never any % progress? That is a symptom of the board failing to connect.

Which S3 board do you have? Could you send me a link to it?

Several users have reported success by manually placing the board into boot mode. That is done by holding down the "BOOT" button while pressing and releasing the "RESET" button, then releasing the "BOOT" button. Does that work for you?

[Sean shao]

Yes, I can see the "Connecting..." screen but never any % progress.
I tested M5AtomLiteS3, M5cardputer, M5DINmeter and kitten future lite. All these board have S3 chip.
I just tried manually placing the board into boot mode. But only M5AtomLiteS3 working. (long pressing and releasing the "RESET" button)
Other board don’t have reset or boot button. :(

[Dariusz Dorożalski]

M5cardputer is "powered" by StampS3 https://docs.m5stack.com/en/core/Cardputer (Boot "BtnG0" and Reset seem to be "routed" to the case)

According to the spec https://docs.m5stack.com/en/core/StampS3

If you want to enter download mode, press and hold the G0 button on StampS3 before turning it on, then release it after powering it on.

The same is true for M5DinMeter https://docs.m5stack.com/en/core/M5DinMeter

[John Maloney]

Yes, I can see the "Connecting..." screen but never any % progress.

That means MicroBlocks is not able to get the board into bootloader mode. Are you running on Unix?

Looks like the M5StampS3 in the M5cardputer has a button that can act as a boot button. Try holding that button down while powering up the M5cardputer or while MicroBlocks is trying to connect to it.

I did not immediately see a way to force boot mode on the M5DINmeter.

Do you have a link for the "kitten future lite"? All I could find was this, which appears to have a classic ESP32, not an S3:

https://www.kittenbot.cc/products/future-board-esp32-aiot-python-education-kit

I'll tweak the timing of the reset process in the next pilot release, which might help it get some of those boards into boot mode automatically. But if that doesn't work, manually forcing the boards into boot mode should work.

[John Maloney]

I just saw that Dariusz also responded. Thanks! Now I see that the button for the M5StampS3 is on the bottom of the M5DINmeter.

[John Maloney]

If you have the Kittenbot Futureboard, here's how you get it into boot mode:

https://kittenbothk-eng.readthedocs.io/en/latest/futureboard/reset.html

[Sean shao]

Thanks Dariusz and John. It’s working !
The key is to hold G0 and release it, then refresh.

[John Maloney]

Great!