Arduino IDE says - Error : Flash timeout - flash failed. - But, it still works!

[Last_Mile]

I started to see issues when trying to upload to my Oak today.  Everything worked fine yesterday.

When I try to compile and upload a sketch from the Arduino IDE, it appears to be Flashing, but I eventually get this error "Error : Flash timeout - flash failed."

I initially thought I would have to put the Oak into safe mode and try again, but after 5 minutes, the Oak reset and the new sketch was running!

If I reset the Oak and put it into safe mode, then try the upload the same thing happens.  It looks like the Oak isn't handshaking back to tell the IDE things are upload and ready to reboot.  I'm thinking the Oak put into upload mode will only wait so long until a watchdog timer resets the Oak.

I'm glad my sketch was uploaded and is running, but this is really slowing my development.

Any thoughts how to fix this?

[PeterF]

I haven't flashed anything on the Oak recently, but because of the timing, it was probably related to the issues they were having on the 23rd (scroll down to see the past incidents).

[classicmac]

I'm having the same problem. Has anyone figured out a work around?

[PeterF]

I just did a quick test, and I can also confirm this. Since obviously nothing has changed on the Oak end, Particle must have changed something on their end - perhaps disabling the fastupdate routine or changing something in the protocol, hence the Oak has had to revert to the slower programming mode. The Arduino IDE is only saying that it has timed out as it expects the Oak to be programmed within 90-120 seconds (can't remember which), so bugs out once that time has elapsed. Someone can probably enable to debug mode on the Oak to see if the handshake indicates what is going on, it won't be me as I dont have time for that atm.

However, yes, it is taking almost exactly five minutes for me to do uploads too :-/

[malaire]

I haven't flashed anything on the Oak recently, but because of the timing, it was probably related to the issues they were having on the 23rd (scroll down to see the past incidents).

This clearly shows why I think that relying on third party services like Particle is extremely stupid - Oak is completely useless without Particle and can't even be programmed at all.

The promised ability to use Oak locally was the most important reason I backed Oak and without that I would've never backed it - and it seems that this feature will never be implemented so I consider Oak to be a total failure.

[PeterF]

Indeed... I was looking forward to that also - not so much for if particle goes offline, but more so if my own end goes offline or there is a power outage, but since everything is battery backed... my local system could keep running smoothly. Hopefully Erik will surface again soon... probably just been swamped with work on the farm, family and contract work.

As far as being useless... I wouldn't go that far... it can be programmed via serial just like any other ESP8266... and I do that every now and then when testing stuff, or just to access the serial console. Plus even if particle goes offline my thinkspeak and ubidot oak loggers still keep going. But that isn't for everyone... and I do get that it still isn't 'as advertised'

[Last_Mile]

I found if the download doesn't complete in 35 seconds a wdt trips and the download fails and falls back to what appears to be the three flashing mode.  But, downloads will not work after this event, I have to put the Oak back into manual config mode, or what ever you call the pin 1 to ground action.

It's taking me 5 - 10 tries to get a download to take.