Tufty 2350 - no pre-installed apps

Support
1

Just received my Tufty RP2350 - and it has NO pre-installed apps. On connecting it - all I see is an HTML and a TXT file. Wasn’t it supposed to have a bunch of apps?
I guess I’ll go looking for the firmware on the github.

EDIT: I installed the latest firmware tufty-v1.0.0-micropython-with-filesystem.uf2 - it gets copied over to the device - but the menu system doesn’t display - and the filesystem still only shows those two files. Do I have a defective unit?

EDIT2: I installed the OTHER firmware tufty-v1.0.0-micropython.uf2 with the same result.

EDIT3: so… reading the docs - I now realize pressing reset TWICE is the way to get into the Tufty disk mode. But.. how do I get the apps to run? From what I read - the menu app should display automatically when it reboots?

2

Yes it should have come with everything pre installed.
The with file system uf2 should get you all the apps and menu on boot.

What mode is the tufty in when you connect it? What buttons are you pressing before you connect it.

3

I’ve been blindly pressing any of the front buttons.. nothing seems to bring up a display to the screen.

To get into Tufty disk mode - pressing reset twice.

4

Ok, if you seeing an INDEX.HTM and INFO_UF2.TXT file it’s in BOOT mode.
And in that mode it will show up as RP2350 in file explorer.

In DISK mode it should show up as TUFTY.
And have apps and assets folders, plus a MAIN.py and secrets.py

In it’s default RUN mode it should show up just a USB Drive.
And Clicking it will get you a please insert a disk prompt.

Hope this helps, something is wrong from what your posting.

EDIT: I’ve had mine crash twice. It lost the FAT32 file system. It would show as TUFTY but there were no apps etc folders of files there. Re flashing it with the with file system uf2 got it back working though.

5

Yeah… DISK mode is showing TUFTY (with all the apps folders - I even updated secrets.py).. just it won’t apparently boot into anything that displays to the screen.
Is there any trick to get it into RUN mode?

And… thanks for your help!

6

I just press Reset. It sounds like you have a defective screen / LCD Display. I think it’s running, but just not displaying anything?
In Thonny you should be able to go into one of the Apps folders , like Badge, and run the init.py file and see what Thonny shows as happening or not happing.

7

oh crudd, I’m in US - paid a nice import / admin fee to DHL. will see if i can get thonny running.

8

Yeah, I’m in Canada and also got dinged for import fees etc. Pimoroni can send you a replacement and mark it as having no value 0$ etc.
Submit a ticket : Pimoroni

9

thonny shows the drive / apps - and running any all i see is “MPY: soft reboot”
i guess i can try a simple print statement

10

The cover / case can be removed. I’ve had mine off so I could unplug the battery. I did this the first time mine went MIA.
Badger2350 Removing Polycarbonate case/Lipo Connector - Support - Pimoroni Buccaneers

Then have a look at the LCD ribbon cable. It’s right next to the USB C Jack. Make sure the cable is in correctly.

11

I’d say the RP2350 is doing its thing. But the display has a hardware issue?

12

The backlight to the LCD is functional. I’ll reach out to support and see what they say. Thanks again for your help.

13

Yeah, I think your at the submit a support ticket stage now. I’d put a link to this thread in your post.

If you press and hold the RESET button on the back the 4 case lighting LEDs should turn on and then fade to black. If the processor is running that is.

14

Yes - doing that has those 4 LEDs turn on and fade to black. Does that mean anything significant for this issue? By the way… I have received and email response from Pimoroni - and they will “be in touch soon”. I’ve worked with the folks from Pimoroni for more than 10 years now and shipped more PiGlows than probably anyone (>3000). This is a little inconvenience.. that I am sure will be worked out soon enough. Thanks again for your help/suggestions.

15

I do believe it means the RP2350 is working, it’s going into sleep mode.

16

Well… so far … silence from Pimoroni support about this issue. Hmm.

May have to pick up the phone and call “the boss”

17

That’s a bummer. I’ve always had fast response when submitting a ticket?

18

Maybe you should give it another try, this time without blindly pressing buttons but instead doing everything slowly and systematically:

  1. Unplug the Tufty, remove the cover and unplug the battery (lipo) cable
  2. Hold down the boot-button and then (!) plug in the USB-C cable to your computer. Release the boot-button.
  3. You should see a drive appear named “RP2350”.
  4. Copy the firmware with filesystem tufty-v1.0.0-micropython-with-filesystem.uf2 to this drive
  5. Wait until the drive disappears.
  6. Re-plug the Tufty without pressing any buttons.
19

@bablokb That’s pretty much what I did the first time mine went MIA. I did one extra step though and flash_nuked it just for good meassure.

20

Thanks for the suggestions. I will give that a try.

As I have never seen anything displayed on the screen forgive me for “blindly pressing buttons”… it does get to the point where you just have to see what the heck is going on.

Before getting to that point - if you read my prior messages I did get to the RP2350 mode and reflash the firmware. I will in any case see what happens by going FULL DISASSEMBLY mode next and doing all that again. My sense it - it will make no difference - but I’ll give it a go

Also - I did finally get a note back from support earlier today - with an apology for the delay in responding and a request to share photos of the unit (with the case open too - to see the display ribbon cable). Hopefully I’ll hear something back on Monday.