magtag circuitpython not responding Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

[techluma]

Hi all,

Need some help. I recently purchased two magtags after waiting awhile for them to come in stock. The first is working great.

The second seems to be hanging somewhere, even in the default code.py. (I.e., the print("Hello World!")) Specifically, nothing gets printed to the terminal in Mu, and there is no response to terminal input. A few notes:

- I've erased a reflashed multiple times, both loading the latest circuitpython (6.2) bin directly and also copying the uf2 after flashing the tinyuf2 bootloader. In both cases, we get to the CIRCUITPY drive mode just fine. At this point, though, we get nothing from the MU terminal. (In contrast to the working magtag, where you'll see the "Hello World!" print and can interact with REPL.

- If I create a boot.py with the simple print content, I _will_ see the output boot_out.txt. Any more complex examples that touch the hardware or use the magtag libraries, though, will cause the boot to "hang" (loop?), even if the code itself should run through. (code doesn't contain loops, sleeps, etc.)


Any thoughts on next steps? Is there some sort of hardware verification firmware that I could flash to determine if a hardware problem?

Thanks!

--Ron

[dastels]

Odd. The hardware seems to be working since you can flash it, the drive mounts and the boot.py execution works.

What are the contents of CIRCUITPY?

Dave

[techluma]

Contents of CIRCUITPY are:

Code: Select all | TOGGLE FULL SIZE

    Directory: D:\


Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
d-----         12/3/2016  11:18 PM                .fseventsd
d-----         12/3/2016  11:18 PM                lib
-a----         12/3/2016  11:18 PM              0 .metadata_never_index
-a----         12/3/2016  11:18 PM              0 .Trashes
-a----         12/3/2016  11:18 PM             22 code.py
-a----         12/3/2016  11:18 PM             74 boot_out.txt

This is the same as the other Magtag that works correctly.

[adafruit_support_carter]

Hey. Sorry for delayed response. That listing is from your problematic board? If so, can you post the code listing for that code.py file?

Is Mu your only way of accessing the serial output?

[techluma]

Hi Carter. That's correct. This is the filesystem of the non-functioning board, immediately after erase/reflash/tinyuf2/circuitpython. code.py contains the default circuitpython6.2 contents:

Code: Select all | TOGGLE FULL SIZE

print("Hello World!")

I'm happy to use whatever serial terminal you like, but I can confirm that at least with Mu and Mobaterm, there is no response from the USB serial device associated with the non-functioning magtag.


Thanks!

--Ron

[adafruit_support_carter]

At the point where you have the CIRCUITPY folder showing up, are you seeing any COM ports in your Device Manager, or whatever the equivalent is for your OS?

[techluma]

Yes. The com port shows up, but no output after connecting a terminal app.

[adafruit_support_carter]

And just to be sure - you're using everything else the same with the one that works? Same USB cable, port, etc. You simply swap from one MagTag to the other and get that behavior? And it's repeatable.

[techluma]

Correct. Everything works as expected with the other one. Only difference is the Magtag device itself.

[adafruit_support_carter]

Are you using esptool.py to upload the firmware to the MagTag?

[techluma]

Hi Carter,

No, I have been using the Web Serial ESPTool. Seems to be working well.

[adafruit_support_carter]

OK, that'll work also. When you did this:

- I've erased a reflashed multiple times,

was that this process?
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-mag ... 3079291-11
If not, try that and see if it helps. Do the erase, and then reload.

[techluma]

Correct. I've explicitly erased and reloaded a number of times now. Same result. (In fact, that's why I called this out in my original message.)

[adafruit_support_carter]

OK, we are super baffled and not sure what's going on with that one. Let's just replace it and see what happens.

Send an email to support@adafruit.com with a link to this thread and your order number and they can send you a replacement MagTag.

[techluma]

Agreed. I'm baffled as well, since it seems very _close_ to working normally. Thanks for the attempt.

--Ron