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Intermittent connection to Net-Mini

mini rs232

Best Answer Big Bear Brian, 17 April 2013 - 06:20 AM

Hmmm. I hate PEBKAC.

 

You know, Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair....

 

For some reason, I was running the v4.3 version of MFDeploy. Running the v4.2 version, in order to connect to TinyCLR 4.2, works just "slightly" better.

 

Also need to remember to connect DTR when powering up the Netduino Mini, in order to force it into the BootLoader mode (akin to powering up normal Netduinos while holding down the button....).

 

INTERESTING... note that there are still the occasional "No response" errors. Following, two PINGs, followed by two attempts to Get Device Capabilities (Shift-Control-C) (more than a few seconds apart). Errors out once each, BUT... once all is said and done, I've got a Netduino Mini running 4.2.0.1.

 

Pinging... Error: No response from device Pinging... TinyCLR Error: No response from device HalSystemInfo.halVersion: 4.2.0.0 HalSystemInfo.halVendorInfo:   Netduino Mini (v4.2.0.1) by Secret Labs LLC HalSystemInfo.oemCode:   34 HalSystemInfo.modelCode:   177 HalSystemInfo.skuCode:   4098 HalSystemInfo.moduleSerialNumber: 00000000000000000000000000000000 HalSystemInfo.systemSerialNumber: 0000000000000000 ClrInfo.clrVersion: 4.2.0.0 ClrInfo.clrVendorInfo:   Netduino Mini (v4.2.0.1) by Secret Labs LLC ClrInfo.targetFrameworkVersion: 4.2.0.0 SolutionReleaseInfo.solutionVersion:   4.2.0.0 SolutionReleaseInfo.solutionVendorInfo: Netduino Mini (v4.2.0.1) by Secret Labs LLC SoftwareVersion.BuildDate:   Sep 19 2012 SoftwareVersion.CompilerVersion:   410894 FloatingPoint:   True SourceLevelDebugging: True ThreadCreateEx: True LCD.Width:   0 LCD.Height: 0 LCD.BitsPerPixel: 0 AppDomains: True ExceptionFilters: True IncrementalDeployment:   True SoftReboot: True Profiling:   False ProfilingAllocations: False ProfilingCalls: False IsUnknown:   False  

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#1 Big Bear Brian

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Posted 17 April 2013 - 04:33 AM

Hello,

 

I'm trying to work with a Netduino Mini, and am having great difficulties connecting to it reliably.

 

I've got power (12V) to pins 23 and 24. I've got a USB-Serial connector (which I've used multiple times with other Serial devices under W7 and W8, so I'm reasonably confident that it works well.) I built a DB9 breakout connector, from which the TX -> Pin 2, RX -> Pin 1, and GND -> Pin 4.

 

From within MFDeploy, I can successfully PING the device perhaps 1-2 times out of 10... most of the time, it will respond, "NoConnection".

 

Wondering if I might have some software difficulties (I've standardized all my full Netduinos and Netduino+ on .NETMF 4.2), I decided to try flashing this Mini to 4.2 as well.

 

I started with downloading the RS232 version of the firmware from:

http://forums.netdui...-v420-update-1/

 

After several tries, I managed to install the TinyBooterDecompressor as described in:

http://wiki.netduino...duino-Mini.ashx

(insert whine here about Sam-Ba needing to be restarted if you select the wrong processor, instead of returning you to the selection drop-down.........)

 

At this point, I can intermittendly see the TinyBooter, but not always:

Pinging... NoConnection
Pinging... TinyBooter
Pinging... TinyBooter
Pinging... NoConnection
Pinging... NoConnection
Pinging... NoConnection
Pinging... NoConnection

 

If I now try to actually flash the firmware, as described in:

http://wiki.netduino...ep-by-step.ashx

 

All I get is errors when trying to upload ER_CONFIG and ER_FLASH:

 

"Error: No response from device"

 

My serial port is set to:

"COM3" = 115200 baud, 8-None-1

 

I would REALLY prefer using the Netduino Mini in two of the sub-projects I'm working on- don't need as many I/O pins, and the smaller form factor would be nice. But, unless I can figure this out, they're useless to me right now. :-(

 

Suggestions?



#2 Big Bear Brian

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Posted 17 April 2013 - 05:46 AM

I wonder.........

 

Just "For the heck of it", pulled that Netduino Mini from the breadboard, put another in its place.

 

I STILL don't get perfect (i.e., 100%) connectivity, but MOST of the time it responds to Ping.

 

Bad N-Mini?

 

(following is all the different N-Mini...)

Pinging... TinyCLR Pinging... NoConnection Pinging... NoConnection Pinging... TinyCLR Pinging... TinyCLR Pinging... TinyCLR Pinging... TinyCLR Pinging... TinyCLR Pinging... TinyCLR DeviceInfo:   HAL build info: 4.1.2821.0, Netduino Mini by Secret Labs LLC   OEM Product codes (vendor, model, SKU): 34, 177, 4098   Serial Numbers (module, system):   00000000000000000000000000000000   0000000000000000   Solution Build Info: 4.1.0.6, Netduino Mini by Secret Labs LLC   AppDomains:   default, id=1   Assemblies:   mscorlib,4.1.2821.0   Microsoft.SPOT.Native,4.1.2821.0   Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware,4.1.2821.0   Microsoft.SPOT.Hardware.SerialPort,4.1.2821.0   Microsoft.SPOT.IO,4.1.2821.0   System.IO,4.1.2821.0   SecretLabs.NETMF.Hardware,4.1.0.0   SecretLabs.NETMF.Diagnostics,4.1.0.0   NetduinoMiniTransportSelector,1.0.0.0  



#3 Chris Walker

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Posted 17 April 2013 - 06:10 AM

Hi Brian, How warm are the power regulators (near the top edge) getting? If you supply the board with a 9V power supply does it run happier for you? We do quite a bit of testing on Netduino Minis before they leave Secret Labs...but it's always possible that you got one that's defective. Let's try a 9V power supply (if you have one) first and then try .NET MF 4.1 (to make sure it's not related to the firmware upgrade). And of course we can go through our standard warranty procedure if your Netduino Mini was defective. Does that work well for you? Chris

#4 Big Bear Brian

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Posted 17 April 2013 - 06:20 AM   Best Answer

Hmmm. I hate PEBKAC.

 

You know, Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair....

 

For some reason, I was running the v4.3 version of MFDeploy. Running the v4.2 version, in order to connect to TinyCLR 4.2, works just "slightly" better.

 

Also need to remember to connect DTR when powering up the Netduino Mini, in order to force it into the BootLoader mode (akin to powering up normal Netduinos while holding down the button....).

 

INTERESTING... note that there are still the occasional "No response" errors. Following, two PINGs, followed by two attempts to Get Device Capabilities (Shift-Control-C) (more than a few seconds apart). Errors out once each, BUT... once all is said and done, I've got a Netduino Mini running 4.2.0.1.

 

Pinging... Error: No response from device Pinging... TinyCLR Error: No response from device HalSystemInfo.halVersion: 4.2.0.0 HalSystemInfo.halVendorInfo:   Netduino Mini (v4.2.0.1) by Secret Labs LLC HalSystemInfo.oemCode:   34 HalSystemInfo.modelCode:   177 HalSystemInfo.skuCode:   4098 HalSystemInfo.moduleSerialNumber: 00000000000000000000000000000000 HalSystemInfo.systemSerialNumber: 0000000000000000 ClrInfo.clrVersion: 4.2.0.0 ClrInfo.clrVendorInfo:   Netduino Mini (v4.2.0.1) by Secret Labs LLC ClrInfo.targetFrameworkVersion: 4.2.0.0 SolutionReleaseInfo.solutionVersion:   4.2.0.0 SolutionReleaseInfo.solutionVendorInfo: Netduino Mini (v4.2.0.1) by Secret Labs LLC SoftwareVersion.BuildDate:   Sep 19 2012 SoftwareVersion.CompilerVersion:   410894 FloatingPoint:   True SourceLevelDebugging: True ThreadCreateEx: True LCD.Width:   0 LCD.Height: 0 LCD.BitsPerPixel: 0 AppDomains: True ExceptionFilters: True IncrementalDeployment:   True SoftReboot: True Profiling:   False ProfilingAllocations: False ProfilingCalls: False IsUnknown:   False  



#5 Big Bear Brian

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Posted 17 April 2013 - 06:22 AM

Hi Brian, How warm are the power regulators (near the top edge) getting? If you supply the board with a 9V power supply does it run happier for you? We do quite a bit of testing on Netduino Minis before they leave Secret Labs...but it's always possible that you got one that's defective. Let's try a 9V power supply (if you have one) first and then try .NET MF 4.1 (to make sure it's not related to the firmware upgrade). And of course we can go through our standard warranty procedure if your Netduino Mini was defective. Does that work well for you? Chris

I'll give that a try as well.

 

Got to actually turn on the good bench supply to get something other than 3.3, 5, or 12V.... :-)

 

So, maybe not just PEBKAC, but also "If it ain't one thing, it's another...". :-P



#6 Big Bear Brian

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Posted 17 April 2013 - 06:41 AM

And... the best results of an experiment, it's REPEATABLE.

 

I now have three Minis, all running .NETMF 4.2.

 

I didn't switch to 9V power, I'll work on that tomorrow night.

 

For now, I'll call this success. If nothing else, I can give one of these to the 12-year-old, and call back the full Netduino he's been using on his Tamiya tractor. :-) That also leaves two for my own projects.







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