Flash with CH348 usb to serial chip (ESPTOOL-830)

[Roberto-spm]

Operating System

Debian trixie

Esptool Version

v4.2.1

Python Version

python 3.11.5

Chip Description

ESP32-wroom-32

Device Description

I made a custom board with ESP32-WROOM-32 cpu

Hardware Configuration

No response

How is Esptool Run

linux command line

Full Esptool Command Line that Was Run

python3 "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool.py" --chip esp32 --port "/dev/ttyCH9344USB4" --baud 921600 --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode dio --flash_freq 80m --flash_size 4MB 0x1000 "/tmp/arduino/sketches/9FBFADF38D6EC1C1860ABE314506BB1A/Contalitri_1_2_5.ino.bootloader.bin" 0x8000 "/tmp/arduino/sketches/9FBFADF38D6EC1C1860ABE314506BB1A/Contalitri_1_2_5.ino.partitions.bin" 0xe000 "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin" 0x10000 "/tmp/arduino/sketches/9FBFADF38D6EC1C1860ABE314506BB1A/Contalitri_1_2_5.ino.bin"

Esptool Output

esptool.py v4.2.1
Serial port /dev/ttyCH9344USB4
Connecting...
Failed to get PID of a device on /dev/ttyCH9344USB4, using standard reset sequence.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool.py", line 34, in <module>
    esptool._main()
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool/__init__.py", line 1004, in _main
    main()
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool/__init__.py", line 646, in main
    esp = esp or get_default_connected_device(
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool/__init__.py", line 895, in get_default_connected_device
    _esp.connect(before, connect_attempts)
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool/loader.py", line 631, in connect
    last_error = self._connect_attempt(
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool/loader.py", line 555, in _connect_attempt
    self.bootloader_reset(usb_jtag_serial, extra_delay)
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool/loader.py", line 530, in bootloader_reset
    self._setDTR(False)  # IO0=HIGH
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/spm/Arduino/hardware/espressif/esp32/tools/esptool/esptool/loader.py", line 449, in _setDTR
    self._port.setDTR(state)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/serial/serialutil.py", line 603, in setDTR
    self.dtr = value
    ^^^^^^^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/serial/serialutil.py", line 473, in dtr
    self._update_dtr_state()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/serial/serialposix.py", line 715, in _update_dtr_state
    fcntl.ioctl(self.fd, TIOCMBIC, TIOCM_DTR_str)
OSError: [Errno 22] Invalid argument

More Information

I made a board with 6 serial ports and usb input, with CH348 chip.
The usb to serial board I made works: the serial communication between pc and esp32 is clear in both directions.
The esp32 in my board can be flashed without problem, using a commercial serial to usb adapter and the same esptool command (with /dev/ttyUSB0 device)

Other Steps to Reproduce

No response

I Have Read the Troubleshooting Guide

• I confirm I have read the troubleshooting guide.

[radimkarnis]

Hello @Roberto-spm,
it seems like your CH348 drivers are having trouble with setting the DTR and RTS control lines used to reset the chip into the bootloader mode.

Can you please try flashing without the reset sequence? You need to set --before no_reset and switch the ESP32 into the bootloader mode manually before flashing.

[Roberto-spm]

Hello Radim,

thank you, this solved perfectly my problem, now it works!
I disabled the DTR in the chip, by the way I set the bootloader mode via software with 2 mosfets

Thanks again, best regards
Roberto

[radimkarnis]

Nice! I am glad this worked!