Unable to program flash: "espcomm_send_command: didn't receive command response"

[OrganicIrradiation]

Basic Infos

Hardware

Hardware: Wemos D1 mini (ESP-12F, CH340G USB<->Serial, 4M bytes flash)
Core Version: ?

Description

I've been having lots of issues trying to reflash a Wemos D1 mini (ESP-12F, CH340G USB<->Serial, 4M bytes flash). I was previously able to flash it with the Arduino IDE, but I'm worried I've soft-bricked it.

I'm able to read the chip_id and MAC, but apparently not the flash_id:

$ esptool.py --port /dev/tty.wchusbserial1410 chip_id
esptool.py v1.1
Connecting...
Chip ID: 0x00------
$ esptool.py --port /dev/tty.wchusbserial1410 read_mac
esptool.py v1.1
Connecting...
MAC: 5c:cf:7f:--:--:--
$ esptool.py --port /dev/tty.wchusbserial1410 flash_id
esptool.py v1.1
Connecting...

A fatal error occurred: Timed out waiting for packet header

If I connect with a serial terminal at 74880 baud I can see the module communicates from the bootloader when I press the restart button:

ets Jan 8 2013,rst cause:2, boot mode:(3,6)

I've tried on Mac OS X 10.11.6 (with the signed driver) and on a Windows 10 machine (with automatically installed driver), both with the same results. I've also tried with virtual machines and a multitude of cables. Nothing seems to reflash it (I've tried esptool.py, esptool-ck, NodeMCU Flasher, and the espressif flash tool).

Any suggestions??

Settings in IDE

Module: WeMos D1 R2 & mini
Flash Size: 4MB (3M SPIFFS)
CPU Frequency: 80Mhz
Upload Speed: 115200
Port: /dev/tty.wchusbserial1410

Sketch

void setup() {
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);     // Initialize the LED_BUILTIN pin as an output
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);   // Turn the LED on (Note that LOW is the voltage level
                                    // but actually the LED is on; this is because 
                                    // it is acive low on the ESP-01)
  delay(1000);                      // Wait for a second
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);  // Turn the LED off by making the voltage HIGH
  delay(2000);                      // Wait for two seconds (to demonstrate the active low LED)
}

Debug Messages

Sketch uses 222,149 bytes (21%) of program storage space. Maximum is 1,044,464 bytes.
Global variables use 31,524 bytes (38%) of dynamic memory, leaving 50,396 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 81,920 bytes.
~/Library/Arduino15/packages/esp8266/tools/esptool/0.4.9/esptool -vv -cd nodemcu -cb 115200 -cp /dev/cu.wchusbserial1410 -ca 0x00000 -cf /var/folders/g1/j8sdbq2x04x0b1dwrwlz_0vw0000gp/T/buildcc7633746e9ac2df9f3c43e9ebc9d838.tmp/Blink.ino.bin 
esptool v0.4.9 - (c) 2014 Ch. Klippel <ck@atelier-klippel.de>
    setting board to nodemcu
    setting baudrate from 115200 to 115200
    setting port from /dev/tty.usbserial to /dev/cu.wchusbserial1410
    setting address from 0x00000000 to 0x00000000
    espcomm_upload_file
    espcomm_upload_mem
opening port /dev/cu.wchusbserial1410 at 115200
    tcgetattr
    tcsetattr
    serial open
opening bootloader
resetting board
trying to connect
    espcomm_send_command: sending command header
    espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
trying to connect
    espcomm_send_command: sending command header
    espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
Uploading 226304 bytes from /var/folders/g1/j8sdbq2x04x0b1dwrwlz_0vw0000gp/T/buildcc7633746e9ac2df9f3c43e9ebc9d838.tmp/Blink.ino.bin to flash at 0x00000000
    erasing flash
    size: 037400 address: 000000
    first_sector_index: 0
    total_sector_count: 56
    head_sector_count: 16
    adjusted_sector_count: 40
    erase_size: 028000
An error occurred while uploading the sketch
    espcomm_send_command: sending command header
    espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
    setting timeout 15000
    setting timeout 100
warning: espcomm_send_command: didn't receive command response
warning: espcomm_send_command(FLASH_DOWNLOAD_BEGIN) failed
closing bootloader
error: espcomm_upload_mem failed

[WereCatf]

AFAIK there is no way, whatsoever, of soft-bricking an ESP8266, maybe you have broken a resistor or something reset-circuit and that causes your problem -- it looks to me like the IDE or the esptool isn't able to reset the board into programming-mode. You could manually place the ESP into UART programming-mode using pull-up and pull-down resistors according to https://zoetrope.io/tech-blog/esp8266-bootloader-modes-and-gpio-state-startup before trying to flash something, then when flashed remove the resistors and reset the board and see if it works.

[OrganicIrradiation]

Thanks for the suggestion. According to the link you sent, I should have the following:

GPIO 0: LOW
GPIO 2: HIGH
GPIO 15: LOW

The D1 mini schematic shows that GPIO 0 and 2 have 10k pull-up resistors and GPIO 15 has a pull-down. So, I'll try with a pull-down between Pin D3 (GPIO 0) and GND tomorrow morning and report back. I already tried with a 4.7k (only loose resistor available on hand), which did not change the reported Arduino output. However, the 4.7k pull-down & 10k pull-up might not have created a sufficiently low voltage divider (~1.5V if my math is correct).

[OrganicIrradiation]

Thanks for the suggestion, @WereCatf! Fixed by putting a 10 Ohm resistor between pins D3 (DIO 0) and GND! Seems as though the reset & programming circuit pull-down timing, that I had relied upon for so long, is off (see right side of USB to UART section of the Wemos D1 mini schematic)

Sketch uses 222,149 bytes (21%) of program storage space. Maximum is 1,044,464 bytes.
Global variables use 31,524 bytes (38%) of dynamic memory, leaving 50,396 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 81,920 bytes.
~/Library/Arduino15/packages/esp8266/tools/esptool/0.4.9/esptool -vv -cd nodemcu -cb 115200 -cp /dev/cu.wchusbserial1410 -ca 0x00000 -cf /var/folders/g1/j8sdbq2x04x0b1dwrwlz_0vw0000gp/T/buildcc7633746e9ac2df9f3c43e9ebc9d838.tmp/Blink.ino.bin 
esptool v0.4.9 - (c) 2014 Ch. Klippel <ck@atelier-klippel.de>
    setting board to nodemcu
    setting baudrate from 115200 to 115200
    setting port from /dev/tty.usbserial to /dev/cu.wchusbserial1410
    setting address from 0x00000000 to 0x00000000
    espcomm_upload_file
    espcomm_upload_mem
opening port /dev/cu.wchusbserial1410 at 115200
    tcgetattr
    tcsetattr
    serial open
opening bootloader
resetting board
trying to connect
    espcomm_send_command: sending command header
    espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
trying to connect
    espcomm_send_command: sending command header
    espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
Uploading 226304 bytes from /var/folders/g1/j8sdbq2x04x0b1dwrwlz_0vw0000gp/T/buildcc7633746e9ac2df9f3c43e9ebc9d838.tmp/Blink.ino.bin to flash at 0x00000000
    erasing flash
    size: 037400 address: 000000
    first_sector_index: 0
    total_sector_count: 56
    head_sector_count: 16
    adjusted_sector_count: 40
    erase_size: 028000
    espcomm_send_command: sending command header
    espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
    setting timeout 15000
    setting timeout 100
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
    writing flash
................................................................................ [ 36% ]
................................................................................ [ 72% ]
.............................................................                    [ 100% ]
starting app without reboot
    espcomm_send_command: sending command header
    espcomm_send_command: sending command payload
    espcomm_send_command: receiving 2 bytes of data
closing bootloader

[sabag]

Hi,
Did someone got to solve this ?
I am still (2018-03) getting this error while using Arduino IDE 1.8.5 , trying to flash a "previously flashed many times" ESP12-F using a powered module with 3v3 and FTDI. but I am getting the exact output attached above.
i tried 1M and the default but nothing works.

[nophead]

I had this problem and solved it by adding a 100nF ceramic decoupling capacitor across the supply rails, close to the module.

[komputerboy]

okay thanks its working on my NodeMCU lolin v3 ver 0.1
by pull down (connecting D3 pin to GND with resistor 220 ohm), then flash it with NodeMCU Flasher

[nophead]

Here is my explanation to why programming fails sometimes: http://hydraraptor.blogspot.com/2018/04/esp8266-contention-during-programming.html

[Buffer8888]

It worked, however I had to also unplug USB first, connect D3 to GND, plug in USB again, run upload sketch, disconnect D3 afterwards. Good Luck.

[JAndrassy]

10 Ohm resistor? use plain wire.

It worked, however I had to also unplug USB first, connect D3 to GND, plug in USB again, run upload sketch, disconnect D3 afterwards. Good Luck.

there is a reset button on Wemos. so if auto-reset can't put the Wemos to flashing mode. Wire D3 to ground and hit reset. Then you can disconnect ground from D3. The esp8266 stays in flashing mode until next reset.