Weird flash loop (No bootable app partitions in the partition table)

[J0y8993]

So I am trying to flash an ESP32-WROOM-32 and I encounter two errors.
I am currently following along the Embedded Rust on ESP32 Book and I am on chapter 2.4.
I got some CC-Linking errors, when building the repo on NixOS (does anyone maybe know why as a side note?). Because of this I ditched NixOS for flashing and I am currently using the Docker container linked in the Book.
So here is a short video of what those errors look like.
issue.webm

1. I get a timeout when I run cargo run -- --list-all-ports. I have to add the --no-stub flag, in order to make it work 100% of the time. (Idk why, but without the flag it only flashes some times.)
   Here the error message of the timeout:

esp@c36d78ffe227:/workspace/intro/hardware-check$ cargo run -- --list-all-ports 
    Finished `dev` profile [optimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 0.10s
     Running `espflash flash --monitor target/riscv32imc-esp-espidf/debug/hardware-check --list-all-ports`
[2024-12-13T15:47:30Z INFO ] 🚀 A new version of espflash is available: v3.2.0
✔ Use serial port '/dev/ttyUSB0'? · yes
[2024-12-13T15:47:31Z INFO ] Serial port: '/dev/ttyUSB0'
[2024-12-13T15:47:31Z INFO ] Connecting...
[2024-12-13T15:47:31Z INFO ] Using flash stub
Error: espflash::timeout

  × Error while connecting to device
  ╰─▶ Timeout while running command

2. This is the main error. I am in a weird flash loop after entering the flash command. The full error (before repeating itself) looks like this:

esp@c36d78ffe227:/workspace/intro/hardware-check$ cargo run -- --list-all-ports --no-stub
    Finished `dev` profile [optimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 0.10s
     Running `espflash flash --monitor target/riscv32imc-esp-espidf/debug/hardware-check --list-all-ports --no-stub`
[2024-12-13T15:38:01Z INFO ] 🚀 A new version of espflash is available: v3.2.0
✔ Use serial port '/dev/ttyUSB0'? · yes
[2024-12-13T15:38:02Z INFO ] Serial port: '/dev/ttyUSB0'
[2024-12-13T15:38:02Z INFO ] Connecting...
Chip type:         esp32 (revision v1.0)
Crystal frequency: 40 MHz
Flash size:        4MB
Features:          WiFi, BT, Dual Core, 240MHz, VRef calibration in efuse, Coding Scheme None
MAC address:       24:6f:28:7b:88:3c
App/part. size:    1,149,840/4,128,768 bytes, 27.85%
[2024-12-13T15:38:03Z INFO ] Segment at address '0x1000' has not changed, skipping write
[2024-12-13T15:38:03Z INFO ] Segment at address '0x8000' has not changed, skipping write
[2024-12-13T15:38:04Z INFO ] Segment at address '0x10000' has not changed, skipping write
[2024-12-13T15:38:05Z INFO ] Flashing has completed!
Commands:
    CTRL+R    Reset chip
    CTRL+C    Exit

ets Jun  8 2016 00:22:57

rst:0x1 (POWERON_RESET),boot:0x13 (SPI_FAST_FLASH_BOOT)
configsip: 0, SPIWP:0xee
clk_drv:0x00,q_drv:0x00,d_drv:0x00,cs0_drv:0x00,hd_drv:0x00,wp_drv:0x00
mode:DIO, clock div:2
load:0x3fff0030,len:7104
load:0x40078000,len:15576
load:0x40080400,len:4
ho 8 tail 4 room 4
load:0x40080404,len:3876
entry 0x4008064c
I (30) boot: ESP-IDF v5.1-beta1-378-gea5e0ff298-dirt 2nd stage bootloader
I (31) boot: compile time Jun  7 2023 07:48:23
I (33) boot: Multicore bootloader
I (37) boot: chip revision: v1.0
I (41) boot.esp32: SPI Speed      : 40MHz
I (45) boot.esp32: SPI Mode       : DIO
I (50) boot.esp32: SPI Flash Size : 4MB
I (54) boot: Enabling RNG early entropy source...
I (60) boot: Partition Table:
I (63) boot: ## Label            Usage          Type ST Offset   Length
I (71) boot:  0 nvs              WiFi data        01 02 00009000 00006000
I (78) boot:  1 phy_init         RF data          01 01 0000f000 00001000
I (86) boot:  2 factory          factory app      00 00 00010000 003f0000
I (93) boot: End of partition table
I (97) esp_image: segment 0: paddr=00010020 vaddr=3c0d0020 size=0ffd8h ( 65496) load
E (106) esp_image: Segment 0 0x3c0d0020-0x3c0dfff8 invalid: bad load address range
0x3c0dfff8 - anon.ab806ba04efe4573400ddf1c6591897b.0.llvm.4787499095392638493
    at ??:??
E (114) boot: Factory app partition is not bootable
E (119) boot: No bootable app partitions in the partition table

Does anyone know hot to resolve this issue?
Thanks in advance!

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[SergioGasquez]

A new version of espflash is available: v3.2.0

Can you try updating your espflash and see if the issue persists?

[J0y8993]

@SergioGasquez I am using the docker image. I am unsure how I should update it inside of there?

[SergioGasquez]

@SergioGasquez I am using the docker image. I am unsure how I should update it inside of there?

I assume that you ran the docker image a while ago. You could cargo install espflash, that should update it. Or delete the image and let https://github.com/esp-rs/std-training/blob/main/.devcontainer/Dockerfile#L37-L43 grab the latest version

[J0y8993]

@SergioGasquez I installed the container new using the link you provide, therefore I have the newest esp version, but I still get the same loop. On a good-ish side the auto port detection was fixed...

[theembeddedrustacean]

I have been experimenting with the same device (ESP-WROOM-32), and I am running into what seems to be a similar issue on the flashing end. This is with esp-flash v3.3.0.

[2025-02-06T08:32:15Z INFO ] Detected 2 serial ports
[2025-02-06T08:32:15Z INFO ] Ports which match a known common dev board are highlighted
[2025-02-06T08:32:15Z INFO ] Please select a port
[2025-02-06T08:32:16Z INFO ] Serial port: '/dev/cu.usbserial-0001'
[2025-02-06T08:32:16Z INFO ] Connecting...
[2025-02-06T08:32:18Z INFO ] Using flash stub
Chip type:         esp32 (revision v3.1)
Crystal frequency: 40 MHz
Flash size:        4MB
Features:          WiFi, BT, Dual Core, 240MHz, Coding Scheme None
MAC address:       e4:65:b8:13:bc:cc
App/part. size:    670,928/4,128,768 bytes, 16.25%
[2025-02-06T08:32:19Z INFO ] Segment at address '0x1000' has not changed, skipping write
[2025-02-06T08:32:19Z INFO ] Segment at address '0x8000' has not changed, skipping write
[2025-02-06T08:32:20Z INFO ] Segment at address '0x10000' has not changed, skipping write
[2025-02-06T08:32:20Z INFO ] Flashing has completed!
Commands:
    CTRL+R    Reset chip
    CTRL+C    Exit

ets Jul 29 2019 12:21:46

rst:0x1 (POWERON_RESET),boot:0x13 (SPI_FAST_FLASH_BOOT)
configsip: 0, SPIWP:0xee
clk_drv:0x00,q_drv:0x00,d_drv:0x00,cs0_drv:0x00,hd_drv:0x00,wp_drv:0x00
mode:DIO, clock div:2
load:0x3fff0030,len:7104
load:0x40078000,len:15576
load:0x40080400,len:4
ho 8 tail 4 room 4
load:0x40080404,len:3876
entry 0x4008064c
I (31) boot: ESP-IDF v5.1-beta1-378-gea5e0ff298-dirt 2nd stage bootloader
I (31) boot: compile time Jun  7 2023 07:48:23
I (33) boot: Multicore bootloader
I (37) boot: chip revision: v3.1
I (41) boot.esp32: SPI Speed      : 40MHz
I (46) boot.esp32: SPI Mode       : DIO
I (50) boot.esp32: SPI Flash Size : 4MB
I (55) boot: Enabling RNG early entropy source...
I (60) boot: Partition Table:
I (64) boot: ## Label            Usage          Type ST Offset   Length
I (71) boot:  0 nvs              WiFi data        01 02 00009000 00006000
I (79) boot:  1 phy_init         RF data          01 01 0000f000 00001000
I (86) boot:  2 factory          factory app      00 00 00010000 003f0000
I (94) boot: End of partition table
I (98) esp_image: segment 0: paddr=00010020 vaddr=00000001 size=000a4h (   164) 
I (106) esp_image: segment 1: paddr=000100cc vaddr=3ffb0000 size=015a0h (  5536) load
I (117) esp_image: segment 2: paddr=00011674 vaddr=3ffdbd94 size=00214h (   532) load
E (123) esp_image: Segment 2 0x3ffdbd94-0x3ffdbfa8 invalid: overlaps bootloader stack
E (131) boot: Factory app partition is not bootable
E (137) boot: No bootable app partitions in the partition table
ets Jul 29 2019 12:21:46

[SergioGasquez]

Hi! Not sure if its the same problem, looking at @J0y8993 error again, Ive noticed that the issue is trying to flash an application for C3, the training was meant for this chip, (target/riscv32imc-esp-espidf/debug/hardware-check`) into an ESP32, see https://docs.esp-rs.org/std-training/01_intro.html#the-board. Running the training on an ESP32 (Xtensa) would require some changes on the training materials.

Regarding @theembeddedrustacean issue, it might be the same, but I don't have enough information, mind sharing a reproducer?

[theembeddedrustacean]

Hi! Not sure if its the same problem, looking at @J0y8993 error again, Ive noticed that the issue is trying to flash an application for C3, the training was meant for this chip, (target/riscv32imc-esp-espidf/debug/hardware-check`) into an ESP32, see https://docs.esp-rs.org/std-training/01_intro.html#the-board. Running the training on an ESP32 (Xtensa) would require some changes on the training materials.

Regarding @theembeddedrustacean issue, it might be the same, but I don't have enough information, mind sharing a reproducer?

You're probably right. After some tinkering, I actually encountered another issue that, upon fixing, resolved this one for me. It seems associated with the size of the binary generated.

To give some context, I was using embassy in a lib project, where I had to increase the embassy-executor task arena size. While the lib project was actually built successfully, I would face the error cited in this issue when flashing.

Upon creating a separate binary project and importing the crate from the lib project, when attempting to build, I got a linker error indicating that I was exceeding the available dram_seg. Upon reducing the task arena size to resolve the linker error, the build succeeded, and the flashing error was resolved as well.

While I am happy that now its working, I am really confused why the build actually succeeded in one case while in another it did not.

[SergioGasquez]

Glad that is now resolved, Ill be closing the issue as this is not really related to espflash