No Connection to Pi Pico possible

[Smi]

Hello folks,

I hope someone can me to solve my problem.
I tried several days to establish a connection between my raspberry pi pico and mircoblocks (the installed version of microblocks (windows 10) and the web application trough microsoft edge browser wont work...) What I observed both ways installed ide on windows and the web applications behave completely different..

Also I tried different ways to install the firmware on the pico.
First tried the installed software on windows:

1. clicked on "update firmware on board" >> RP2040 >> after prompt >> connection to usb while holding boot button on pico

explorer opens RPI-RPI2 (E:) window

2. After pressing te OK Button in the prompt nothing happens..
3. In the console appears SDL2 headers: 2.0.12; lib: 2.0.12
4. I try again with the gear button an firmware update.. then "Installed E:vm_pico_w.uf2 (1269248 bytes)
   Connected to Serielles USB-Gerõt (COM3)" appears in the console.
5. Now the ide is freezing nothing happens cant press the connect button..

This is what I read from the INFO_UF2.txt:

UF2 Bootloader v2.0

Model: Raspberry Pi RP2

Board-ID: RPI-RP2

[John Maloney]

It sounds as though the firmware is not getting installed correctly.

Here's something you can try.

First, download the MicroBlocks firmware file:

https://microblocks.fun/downloads/latest/vm/vm_pico_w.uf2

Plug in your Pico board while holding down the "BOOT" button. The RPI-RP2 drive should appear.

Drag the file "vm_pico_w-2.uf2" onto the RPI-RP2. The drive will unmount once the file has been copied.

Open the Windows MicroBlocks app. It should automatically connect to the board.

Or, open the MicroBlocks web app in either Edge or Chrome (both should work once the firmware is installed).

https://microblocks.fun/run/microblocks.html

Select "connect" from the USB icon menu, then select your Pico from connect dialog and click the "Connect" button.

[Peter Mathijssen]

For a normal pico, so without W, you should use this vm https://microblocks.fun/downloads/pilot/vm/vm_pico.uf2

You should drag and drop it using the filemanager.

[Smi]

Thank you so much this helps, is it possible to have a dropdown extended with normal pico an the pivo w version?

[Peter Mathijssen]

John is thinking about a solution.

[John Maloney]

I've removed BLE support (which was only in alpha) from the Pico-w firmware that is installed from the IDE. It now installs from the browser for me.

If you want BLE support, you can download https://microblocks.fun/downloads/pilot/vm/vm_pico_w_ble.uf2 then drag it onto the RPI-RP2 drive.

That's the best we can do right now. It's too bad that the Chrome and Edge browsers do not handle the large .uf2 files well but can't change that. Maybe Google will eventually fix the problem.

Thanks for your patience.

[John Maloney]

Is this working for you in the pilot release (v1.2.96)?

[John Maloney]

I've updated the instructions for installing firmware from the browser; it now walks you through the process of downloading the .uf2 file and then dragging it to the RPI-RP2 drive.

The standard Pico/Pico-W firmware now includes both WiFi and BLE support. It runs on either a Pico or a Pico-W board.

[John Maloney]

I'm marking this resolved but feel free to add additional comments.