BangleJS2 : bricked?

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  • Hello

    I have a banglejs2 watch that worked fine until yesterday.

    Now it won't let me do anything, it will always come back to the white screen with the mac address on it.
    Bluetooth connection/connecting to IDE and https://banglejs.com/apps works fine but when I try to upload something, it will tell me :

    "Uncaught Error: File already written with different data"

    I tried

    • Resetting
    • Resetting without loading any code
    • Deleting all code (which seems working)

    then :

    How can I do to use my watch again?

    Thanks!


    2 Attachments

    • Screenshot 2022-05-20 at 18.33.32.jpg
    • Screenshot 2022-05-20 at 18.24.52.jpg
  • Did anything happen to the Bangle that started all this off?

    It sounds like the flash storage has got corrupted, but deleting all code should have fixed that.

    What happens if you log in with the IDE and type Bangle.factoryReset() on the left-hand side? It'll take a while but will hopefully completely erase the flash and rewrite it with a default firmware

  • Nothing special, I remember I left the watch on a screen from "scientific calculator".
    Then it got stuck when I tried to come back to my watch face, then tried to reboot and got stuck with that white screen.

    Doing as you asked on the IDE resulted in that output and the creation of 2 files

    >
    >Bangle.factoryReset()
    Erasing Storage Area...
    Erase complete.
    Writing initial storage contents...
    FW addr 0x00000200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00000300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00000600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00000700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00000a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00000b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00000e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00000f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00001f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00002f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00003300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00003600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00003700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00003a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00003f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00004f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00005f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00006200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00006300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00006600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00006700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00006a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00006e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00006f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00007f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00008f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00009f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000a200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000a300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000a600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000a700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000aa00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ab00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ae00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000af00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000b200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000b300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000b600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000b700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ba00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000bb00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000be00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000bf00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000c200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000c300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000c600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000c700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ca00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000cb00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ce00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000cf00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000d200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000d300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000d600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000d700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000da00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000db00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000de00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000df00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000e200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000e300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000e600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000e700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ea00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000eb00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ee00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ef00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000f200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000f300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000f600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000f700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000fa00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000fb00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000fe00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x0000ff00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00010200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00010300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00010600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00010700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00010b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00010e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00011300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00011600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00011700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00011a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00011b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00011e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00011f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00012f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013300 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013600 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013700 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013a00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013b00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013e00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00013f00 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00014200 fail
    Status 0
    FW addr 0x00014300 fail
    Status 0
    Write complete.
    =undefined
    >
    

    1 Attachment

    • Screenshot 2022-05-23 at 14.23.04.jpg
  • Ok, thanks for doing that - it'd be the first time I've ever seen it, but it looks like the flash memory has a problem.

    Just to check though, which firmware version are you running? There were some changes in 2v12/2v13 that really helped with the flash memory.

    The one last thing to try is to completely flatten it so it gets power cycled. In the Web IDE, please can you paste in the following code to the left-hand side:

    Bangle.setLCDTimeout(0);
          Bangle.setLCDPower(1);
          if (Bangle.setGPSPower) Bangle.setGPSPower(1,"flat");
          if (Bangle.setHRMPower) Bangle.setHRMPower(1,"flat");
          if (Bangle.setCompassPower) Bangle.setCompassPower(1,"flat");
          if (Bangle.setBarometerPower) Bangle.setBarometerPower(1,"flat");
          if (Bangle.setHRMPower) Bangle.setGPSPower(1,"flat");
          setInterval(function() {
            var i=1000;while (i--);
          }, 1);
    

    Then leave it off-charge. It should flatten the battery in maybe 4 hours or less. Then leave it an hour just in case, charge, and see if you have any luck after rebooting it

  • Ok thanks for that. Trying it now. I am on 2v13

  • Ok tried 2 times the procedure, with no success, same error when I try to factory reset/install bootloader. How to proceed? Thanks!

  • Ok, thanks for trying. It looks like somehow the flash memory chip has died. I'll ask Christine to get in touch about sending you a replacement.

  • Ok great, thanks a lot for your prompt support btw! Love the watch, the project and the fact that you guys seems to care a lot about your product and customers, I feel it is quite rare nowadays!

  • Seems my Bangle is suffering from the same issue. Saturday night I went to sleep with the watch on the bedside table. In the morning the screen was scrambled a bit and the watch did not wake up in respond to the button press. I did a reboot and the watch went into an erasing memory mode on boot (2v16 feature I think?) and this took several hours to complete (left connected to the charger). Now when it boots it goes into "checking memory" for half a minute and then it shows the screen with MAC address.
    I tried to flash 2v16 again but it made no difference.
    Drained the battery overnight and still the same behaviour.


    2 Attachments

    • 20221218_205742.jpg
    • 20221218_205804.jpg
  • I just tried flashing the "NoFLASH" version found in this post:
    https://forum.espruino.com/comments/1669­9364/
    and that works, the watch boots into the watchface.
    However as soon as I flash the regular 2v16 it gets stuck at the MAC address screen.

  • That's a very odd one. Please could you try what I'd mentioned in that same thread? https://forum.espruino.com/conversations­/380059/#16702053

    It's possible that somehow the flash has got corrupted in a way that means the Bangle is unable to boot, and that clearing it would solve your problems

  • Yes, I used the IDE to push that to the watch. The screen changed from the NoFlash watchface (Anton Clock) to only display 25:00
    After that I restarted the watch and it booted into the default watchface again.
    Then I flashed it with the normal 2v16 again but unfortunately it is stuck on the MAC address screen again
    I will go back to the NoFlash version so at least I have a clock again. Perhaps it will even let me install a few apps before memory is full.

  • Success! I had another go at

    Bangle.factoryReset()

    and this time the watch booted normally.
    I will set it up again and see how it holds up

  • Same just happened here. I woke this morning to find the Bangle2 on a white screen with a default Anton clock. When I connected to the apps page, it reported that the firmware was 2v11 when I have been running 2v16 since it came out. None of my loaded apps were present.

    I have just spent an hour, reinstalling everything from the firmware up. It seemed like the Bangle2 had gone back to its original status including the Welcome app which I have never had installed since I first wiped it when I received it.

    I really hope this isn't the beginning of the end of the Bangle2- my last Pebble is just on the way out (I only use it as a wake up timer by my bed these days as its battery charge won't keep up for more than a few hours at this point).

  • Argh, sorry to hear that.

    When I connected to the apps page, it reported that the firmware was 2v11 when I have been running 2v16 since it came out

    Are you 100% sure? Maybe you could screenshot and show me where you say 2v11 being reported? I guess it could be the bootloader version it showed?

    Because going from 2v16 to 2v11 on its own is basically impossible - while the JS apps themselves can be 'factory reset' from flash, once you overwrite the watch firmware it stays overwritten (there's no hidden copy of the original firmware in the watch).

    I think likely the watch is fine though, and it just encountered some corruption in its filesystem. This is getting super rare now - especially with 2v16 - but it's actually possible the corruption got in with an earlier firmware, and then your Bangle has only just used up enough flash that it hit it now :( Hopefully you won't see this again at all

  • Thanks, Gordon.
    Nothing else to report after I spent the time to reconstruct the watch setup. I thought it worth reporting for your data.
    I didn't take any screenshots, and it's all behaving as it should at this point!
    Best wishes for the season - I hope you're taking a break...

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BangleJS2 : bricked?

Posted by Avatar for user144358 @user144358

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