From time to time, an error occurs when working with CircuitPython. Here are a variety of errors that can happen, what they mean and how to fix them.
If your host computer starts complaining that your CIRCUITPY
drive is corrupted or files cannot be overwritten or deleted, then you will have to erase it completely. When CircuitPython restarts it will create a fresh empty CIRCUITPY
filesystem.
Corruption often happens on Windows when the CIRCUITPY
disk is not safely ejected before being reset by the button or being disconnected from USB. This can also happen on Linux and Mac OSX but it's less likely.
Caution
To erase and re-create CIRCUITPY
(for example, to correct a corrupted filesystem), follow one of the procedures below. It's important to note that any files stored on the CIRCUITPY
drive will be erased. Back up your code if possible before continuing!
This is the recommended method of erasing your board. If you are having trouble accessing the CIRCUITPY
drive or the REPL, consider first putting your board into safe mode.
To erase any board if you have access to the REPL:
- Connect to the CircuitPython REPL using a terminal program.
- Type
import storage
into the REPL. - Then, type
storage.erase_filesystem()
into the REPL. - The
CIRCUITPY
drive will be erased and the board will restart with an emptyCIRCUITPY
drive.
If you do not have access to the REPL, you may still have options to erase your board.
The Erase CIRCUITPY Without Access to the REPL section of the Troubleshooting page in the Welcome to CircuitPython guide covers the non-REPL erase process for various boards. Visit the guide, find the process that applies to your board, and follow the instructions to erase your board.
This error occurs when importing a module that is stored as a mpy
binary file (rather than a py
text file) that was generated by a different version of CircuitPython than the one it's being loaded into. Most versions are compatible but, rarely they aren't. In particular, the mpy
binary format changed between CircuitPython versions 1.x and 2.x, 2.x and 3.x, and will change again between 6.x and 7.x.
So, for instance, if you just upgraded to CircuitPython 7.x from 6.x you'll need to download a newer version of the library that triggered the error on import
. They are all available in the Adafruit bundle and the Community bundle. Make sure to download a version with 7.0.0 or higher in the filename.