Issue with putting Seed into flash mode

Seb · October 29, 2025, 6:08am

First off, I’m a newbie. I mean, I can understand and curious enough to find solutions, I’m using Linux as my os, but I am far from a programmer.

I got the Daisy Seed with the Synthux Simple Touch, and everything was working well and could try a few sounds and play around. After a few months not using it, I decided to play around with it again but this time I seem to have an issue. When I press the Boot and Reset buttons to get it in bootloader mode, nothing happens, no flashing light and cannot upload with Arduino IDE, got an error message, the same message you get when you don’t put it bootloader mode - the power light is always on. I did:

try different combination of Boot and Reset pushing buttons, but mainly used the one I read everywhere: hold Boot, press Reset and release, and release Boot.
try different usb cables (3), including the one that was working before.
try on my linux laptop and my wife’s mac.

I did some research and couldn’t find anything about that issue. I’m hoping to find some help here.

Again, I’m a newbie, so please be gentle.

dreamer · October 29, 2025, 6:12am

When you say “bootloader mode” do you actually mean “flash mode”?

You have to first install the bootloader before you can use it ..

What I always do:

press and hold boot button
click the flash button once
release the boot button

Now you should be in flash mode and can program the Daisy.

If you choose to install the bootloader to the flash memory, from then on you can program with bootloader mode (what I would call it, anyway):

click flash button once (led starts pulsing)
within 2 seconds click the boot button
led stays pulsing and the bootloader is waiting for you to program

github.com/electro-smith/libDaisy

doc/md/_a7_Getting-Started-Daisy-Bootloader.md

master

# Getting Started - Daisy Bootloader

In the context of embedded applications, a bootloader is a small program that runs on bootup and manages loading and even updating target applications. The update routine of the STM32H7's system bootloader can be accessed on the Daisy by resetting the device with the BOOT button held down.
However, the built-in bootloader can only reprogram the chip's internal flash (128kB). With this setup, it's not so easy to store larger programs in non-volatile memory, and it's even harder to get them running. That's where the Daisy bootloader comes in.

## Advantages of the Daisy bootloader

With the Daisy bootloader, you can easily run significantly larger programs (up to 480kB on SRAM and almost 8MB on QSPI flash). Execution from SRAM has comparable speed to the internal flash, while the QSPI flash is naturally a fair bit slower. The update process for end-users can also be made extremely simple with SD cards or USB drives; simply starting up the Daisy with media plugged in will launch a search for valid executable binaries.

## Flashing the bootloader

With the latest version of libDaisy, you should be able to flash the bootloader using the `program-boot` rule within any project. The bootloader will reside in the internal flash like any normal application, so you'll need to go through the [normal DFU procedure](https://github.com/electro-smith/DaisyWiki/wiki/1.-Setting-Up-Your-Development-Environment#4a-flashing-the-daisy-via-usb) before running `make program-boot`.

## Generating programs for the bootloader

To generate programs that can run from the bootloader, you only need one additional line in your makefile:

~~~makefile
APP_TYPE = BOOT_SRAM
~~~

This file has been truncated. show original

Seb · October 29, 2025, 2:54pm

Thank you for your answer @dreamer!

Yes, I meant flash mode, and when I do the process you just described, hold Boot, click the Flash (Reset) button, and release Boot, nothing happens, the led doesn’t do a single pulse, and I got the message error when I try to flash something. Even when I just press the Flash (Reset) button, the led keeps still. Arduino IDE do recognize it is plugged, but I don’t seem to be able to get it in Flash mode.

tele_player · October 29, 2025, 7:18pm

When you do this, you are in Flash mode. No pulsing is expected.

Seb · October 30, 2025, 12:30am

Ok, but it still doesn’t work when I do that. This is the error message I have:

Sketch uses 32412 bytes (24%) of program storage space. Maximum is 131072 bytes.
Global variables use 5132 bytes (0%) of dynamic memory, leaving 519156 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 524288 bytes.
Selected interface: dfu
-------------------------------------------------------------------
STM32CubeProgrammer v2.20.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Error: Target device not found.
Establishing connection with the device failed.
Failed uploading: uploading error: exit status 1

And the device does show as connected in Port.

I followed these instructions for setting up the USB for linux and it worked before:

Now I’m wondering it it means the daisy has an issue. The power led works though.

Any other thoughts?

tele_player · October 30, 2025, 4:53am

I don’t have a Linux system here, so can’t be much help. I’d suggest putting it in flash mode, and using lsusb to see what VID and PID are showing. If the Daisy shows up, I don’t think it’s a hardware problem. And I’d try a different USB cable.

dreamer · October 30, 2025, 2:04pm

Read my post, I am indeed describing flash mode and didn’t say pulsing is expected. The observed pulsing is for when using the bootloader.

tele_player · October 30, 2025, 2:19pm

Sorry, I should have been more clear, I was responding to @Seb ‘s: “nothing happens, the led doesn’t do a single pulse”, and quoted you to avoid retyping the instruction on my iPad.

dreamer · October 30, 2025, 9:14pm

ok sorry, that was not clear hehe. it looked like you were replying to me somehow