[karla]

Hello

I have two Sparky2.0 boards that I have placed great expectations on.

But the standard set up from unboxing like, usb cable to GCS and then do Upgrade and erase, does not work.

The SW will upload but it will not reboot and run.

Some bootloader Einstain process I need to perform ?

edit

Some bootloader i was ignorant of updating
please advise anyone

best
k

[TheOtherCliff]

I guess you got it working.  Sorry.

The problem is that it has a foreign bootloader on it when you buy it.  Luckily that is a TauLabs bootloader, so it is compatible enough to allow flashing an LP bootloader on it by using the LP GCS.

For others, the first page of the following linked thread has some old Sparky2 instructions.  You basically use Emergency Rescue (see wiki) procedure to put the bu_sparky2.opfw (bootloader updater) file on it, then use the Manual Rescue (see wiki) procedure to flash the firmware.  After that, it works like you expect for future LP firmware updates.
https://forum.librepilot.org/index.php?topic=208.0

[karla]

Thanks a lot Cliff!

Following your instructions and using the opfw file I got one of the Sparky2 units to work.

The other one do not respond, meaning it will not boot up, after software upload.
Sad, since I really thought Sparky was not another one of those usual crappy Chinese hw boards.
They should not ship a crappy one without testing it - I would have hoped.

Seems to be the usual story that you need to buy at least 2 units of anyting to have at least one of them working.

Anyone from Sparky team like to step in here and give some advice, feel very free to do so

[f5soh]

You may need to upload firmware (or at least bootloader) using DFU method maybe ?

[TheOtherCliff]

Also, sometimes you can upload a LibrePilot hex bootloader using CleanFlight to get yourself started.  I don't know if that will work in this case.  Is Sparky2 supported by CF?  Does CF need a working CF bootloader (Sparky2 comes with TauLabs bootloader which is close enough to LibrePilot that flashing works) or does it use SBL?

For anyone looking for Sparky2 boards, these seem to be the last of the official authentic Sparky2 boards (no longer officially sold).  I have bought several and they are the black PC board and perfect.  $43 shipped.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Taulabs-Sparky-2-0-32bit-F4-MCU-Based-Flight-Controller-compatiable-Librepilot/172353561802

[karla]

Thank you all.

I did try the DFU method, soldering and all steps went well expect the last, boot up.
Will keep the board for spare parts and I now have one that works

Karl

[TheOtherCliff]

The fact that the DFU worked makes it seem like it should work after that.

DFU needs to flash a BIN file.  You should either flash a bl_sparky2.bin, or an ef_sparky2.bin.  If you flash the bl_sparky2.bin you will still need to do manual update procedure to flash firmware.  ef_sparky2.bin is both bl and firmware in one file, so it should work immediately after that.

Did you do DFU with a BIN file?

Also, check the receiver power jumper on back of the Sparky2.  There should be just one jumper (zero ohm) going to either 3.3V or 5V.  Of course you probably want 5V unless you are using a Spektrum satellite receiver.  One Sparky2 manufacturer puts 10k resistors in both places.  Another manufacturer does not put anything there.

Here is my "unbrickrevo.sh" (Linux command) modified for sparky2.  Build ef_sparky2 and try it:

Code: [Select]

#!/bin/bash
# no other device (StLink, Discovery, JTAG, FTDI) needed, just the USB port on the device being flashed
# short SBL and connect the device to flash to USB and it will show a dfu device with USBID 0483:df11
dfu-util -d 0483:df11 -c 1 -i 0 -a 0 -D build/firmware/ef_sparky2/ef_sparky2.bin -s 0x08000000


[f5soh]

Here is my "unbrickrevo.sh" (Linux command) modified for sparky2.  Build ef_sparky2 and try it:

Quick method under Linux is simply :

Code: [Select]

make ef_sparky2_dfu
Others scripts and requirements for windows are already described in DFU wiki page.
No need to reinvent the wheel...

If the board cannot boot, there is another hardware issue.

[karla]

Yes, since I have a win 10 machine I followed the DFU wiki page.
Step by step.
(b t w it seems win 10 already have a driver onboard, but i replaced it anyway with the Zadig one)
After running the .bat file I chose option 8.

8 - Sparky2 entire flash (Taulabs)

It succeeded to 100% upload to board and then instructed to disconnect and remove solder blob.

For the jumper it looks like there is a solder blob on the 5v but unclear if its good enough to shorten the pins, there is for sure no blob on the 3.3v. So at least not two jumbers in place.

[f5soh]

Should be #5 (bl) or #6 (ef) for LP
Need firmware update from GCS if entire flash selected.

[karla]

Thank you,
I first tried menu option #5 (bl)
But the board failed to boot up afterwards.

Then tried option #6 (ef)
but still fail to boot up.

The files seems to upload to board okay, but there are some error messages.
I dont know if they are significant or not.



I think there might be some other issue with this particular board.

[TheOtherCliff]

What do the LEDs do on the bad Sparky2 when you simply boot it with USB power or ESC connector power?  Just power LED or do they act like the LEDs on the good Sparky2?

[karla]