esp8266: NodeMCU REPL not responding due to minicom flow control

[MoonshineSG]

After a very uneventful setup of the latest esp8266-20170612-v1.9.1.bin firmware on a new NodeMCU I am stuck.
Using esptool.py v 2.0 on RaspberryPi, and minicom and after connection there is no prompt from MicroPython. A soft reset using the button, shows the screen below:

dÜ��òý#4 ets_task(40100164, 3, 3fff829c, 4)
OSError: [Errno 2] ENOENT

MicroPython v1.9.1-8-g7213e78d on 2017-06-12; ESP module with ESP8266
Type "help()" for more information.
>>> 

(the funny characters in front are aways different...)

any user input has no response

Update:
v1.9.1-13-g1e70fda6 same results

[dpgeorge]

Did you erase the flash completely before putting the MicroPython firmware on the board?

If you get the banner and the ">>>" characters then its working, and the lack of response when you type characters could be due to the board not working, the USB-UART connector may have a broken RX line.

[MoonshineSG]

i did a erase_flash before uploading the firmware.

If the RX line is broken, wouldnt the esptool.py complain that it can't properly communicate and fail to load the firmware ?

[dpgeorge]

If the RX line is broken, wouldnt the esptool.py complain that it can't properly communicate and fail to load the firmware ?

Possibly. But if you erase the flash, upload correctly and get the uPy ">>>" prompt, then the only real place things can go wrong is in the hardware. I just checked the latest firmware (at 101fc18) and everything works OK for me on an Adafruit Huzzah Feather board.

[MoonshineSG]

just to make sure communication and the board are not faulty, I uploaded an arduino sketch and everything seams ok...

The board is one of these: http://www.hotmcu.com/nodemcu-lua-wifi-board-based-on-esp8266-cp2102-module-p-265.html

[MoonshineSG]

I re uploaded the micropython firmware and, just for fun, i tried to open with the arduino serial monitor. And it worked.
Back to minicom and check settings... Hardware Flow Control was on... Once I turned it off it works!

Sorry for the wasted time.

[dpgeorge]

Ok, thanks for reporting back. I updated the title to reflect the true issue.

[pfalcon]

@MoonshineSG : Please use forum http://forum.micropython.org/viewforum.php?f=16 in the future for such issues.

[MoonshineSG]

if I knew what the issue is, i would not need the forum or this place... it looked like smth is wrong with mp...

but it's good to know there's another place to get help...

[juransaber]

I also have this problem in v1.9.4, usb chip is cp2102, but another board which use ch340 works well

[N0rimaki]

I re uploaded the micropython firmware and, just for fun, i tried to open with the arduino serial monitor. And it worked.
Back to minicom and check settings... Hardware Flow Control was on... Once I turned it off it works!

Sorry for the wasted time.

still important in 2020 (putty flowcontrol = none)