ESP32-BOX-S3 will not stay connected. (AEGHB-1195)

[TheCriticalPath]

Checklist

• Checked the issue tracker for similar issues to ensure this is not a duplicate.
• Provided a clear description of your suggestion.
• Included any relevant context or examples.

Issue or Suggestion Description

Windows 11 24H2
When I plug in the ESP32 device it repeatedly connects and disconnects. Device Manager keeps refreshing. This started happening after I flashed the device using the ESPLaunchpad. I am not sure what to do since I cannot get a stable connection with the device.

[ESP-Mars]

@TheCriticalPath Could you please try the following steps to narrow it down:

• Check the USB cable and port – Make sure you are using a known good data cable (not charge-only) and try plugging into a rear-panel USB port directly on your PC instead of a USB hub.

• Force the ESP32-S3-BOX-3 into download mode – Hold down the BOOT button while pressing RESET, then release RESET while still holding BOOT. This should force the device into download mode. From there, try reflashing the firmware using ESPLaunchpad or esptool.py.

• Check Device Manager – When the device connects, check if it shows up as “USB Serial (COMx)” or as “Unknown Device.” This can help determine whether it’s a driver/firmware issue.

• Try another PC/OS – If possible, connect the device to another computer (Windows 10, Linux, or macOS). This can help rule out whether the issue is specific to Windows 11 24H2.

[TheCriticalPath]

Download mode enabled me to reflash the device and connect a serial monitor. Here are the results of the serial monitor. It looks like there is something on GPIO pin 19 that is causing an issue freezing the device.

ESP Launch pad reports the device as Connected to device: ESP32-S3 (QFN56) (revision v0.2)

I (466) heap_init: At 3FCABCC8 len 0003DA48 (246 KiB): RAM
I (471) heap_init: At 3FCE9710 len 00005724 (21 KiB): RAM
I (476) heap_init: At 3FCF0000 len 00008000 (32 KiB): DRAM
I (481) heap_init: At 600FE01C len 00001FCC (7 KiB): RTCRAM
I (487) spi_flash: detected chip: gd
I (490) spi_flash: flash io: dio
W (493) spi_flash: Detected size(16384k) larger than the size in the binary image header(4096k). Using the size in the binary image header.
W (505) rmt(legacy): legacy driver is deprecated, please migrate to `driver/rmt_tx.h` and/or `driver/rmt_rx.h`
I (515) sleep_gpio: Configure to isolate all GPIO pins in sleep state
I (521) sleep_gpio: Enable automatic switching of GPIO sleep configuration
I (528) coexist: coex firmware version: 7b9a184
I (532) coexist: coexist rom version e7ae62f
I (536) main_task: Started on CPU0
I (546) main_task: Calling app_main()
I (546) gpio: GPIO[0]| InputEn: 1| OutputEn: 0| OpenDrain: 0| Pullup: 1| Pulldown: 0| Intr:3 
I (546) gpio: GPIO[19]| InputEn: 0| OutputEn: 1| OpenDrain: 0| P

[espressif2022]

下载模式让我能够重新刷新设备并连接串口监视器。以下是串口监视器的结果。看起来 GPIO 引脚 19 上存在问题，导致设备卡死。

ESP Launch Pad 将设备报告为Connected to device: ESP32-S3 (QFN56) (revision v0.2)

I (466) heap_init: At 3FCABCC8 len 0003DA48 (246 KiB): RAM
I (471) heap_init: At 3FCE9710 len 00005724 (21 KiB): RAM
I (476) heap_init: At 3FCF0000 len 00008000 (32 KiB): DRAM
I (481) heap_init: At 600FE01C len 00001FCC (7 KiB): RTCRAM
I (487) spi_flash: detected chip: gd
I (490) spi_flash: flash io: dio
W (493) spi_flash: Detected size(16384k) larger than the size in the binary image header(4096k). Using the size in the binary image header.
W (505) rmt(legacy): legacy driver is deprecated, please migrate to `driver/rmt_tx.h` and/or `driver/rmt_rx.h`
I (515) sleep_gpio: Configure to isolate all GPIO pins in sleep state
I (521) sleep_gpio: Enable automatic switching of GPIO sleep configuration
I (528) coexist: coex firmware version: 7b9a184
I (532) coexist: coexist rom version e7ae62f
I (536) main_task: Started on CPU0
I (546) main_task: Calling app_main()
I (546) gpio: GPIO[0]| InputEn: 1| OutputEn: 0| OpenDrain: 0| Pullup: 1| Pulldown: 0| Intr:3 
I (546) gpio: GPIO[19]| InputEn: 0| OutputEn: 1| OpenDrain: 0| P

Hello, which firmware did you download? Firmwares like chatgpt_demo, usb_camera, and mp3_demo will occupy the USB function, making it impossible to view the serial port.

[TheCriticalPath]

I initially tried the RainMaker_multidevice and that is where the serial port output comes from. I then tried the Rainmaker_Led firmware. I get further in the process where I allows me to provision the device, but no output on the screen and I am unable to connect to Wifi with the error on the serial monitor esp_claim: Assisted Claiming Aborted. The biggest concern is the lack of LCD display on the device.

I (450) app_init: ESP-IDF:          v5.4.2
I (454) efuse_init: Min chip rev:     v0.0
I (458) efuse_init: Max chip rev:     v0.99 
I (462) efuse_init: Chip rev:         v0.2
I (466) heap_init: Initializing. RAM available for dynamic allocation:
I (472) heap_init: At 3FCAC188 len 0003D588 (245 KiB): RAM
I (477) heap_init: At 3FCE9710 len 00005724 (21 KiB): RAM
I (482) heap_init: At 3FCF0000 len 00008000 (32 KiB): DRAM
I (488) heap_init: At 600FE01C len 00001FCC (7 KiB): RTCRAM
I (494) spi_flash: detected chip: gd
I (496) spi_flash: flash io: dio
W (499) spi_flash: Detected size(16384k) larger than the size in the binary image header(4096k). Using the size in the binary image header.
W (511) rmt(legacy): legacy driver is deprecated, please migrate to `driver/rmt_tx.h` and/or `driver/rmt_rx.h`
I (521) sleep_gpio: Configure to isolate all GPIO pins in sleep state
I (528) sleep_gpio: Enable automatic switching of GPIO sleep configuration
I (534) coexist: coex firmware version: 7b9a184
I (538) coexist: coexist rom version e7ae62f
I (543) main_task: Started on CPU0
I (553) main_task: Calling app_main()
I (553) esp_rmaker_console: Initialising UART on port 0
I (553) uart: queue free spaces: 8
I (553) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: reboot
I (563) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: up-time
I (563) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: mem-dump
I (573) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: task-dump
I (573) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: cpu-dump
I (583) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: sock-dump
I (593) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: heap-trace
I (593) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: reset-to-factory
I (603) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: local-time
I (603) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: tz-set
I (613) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: add-user
I (613) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: get-node-id
I (623) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: wifi-prov
I (623) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: cmd
I (633) esp_rmaker_commands: Registering command: sign-data
I (633) gpio: GPIO[0]| InputEn: 1| OutputEn: 0| OpenDrain: 0| Pullup: 1| Pulldown: 0| Intr:3 
I (663) pp: pp rom version: e7ae62f
I (663) net80211: net80211 rom version: e7ae62f
I (673) wifi:wifi driver task: 3fcb9368, prio:23, stack:6656, core=0
I (673) wifi:wifi firmware version: bea31f3
I (673) wifi:wifi certification version: v7.0
I (673) wifi:config NVS flash: enabled
I (673) wifi:config nano formatting: disabled
I (683) wifi:Init data frame dynamic rx buffer num: 32
I (683) wifi:Init static rx mgmt buffer num: 5
I (693) wifi:Init management short buffer num: 32
I (693) wifi:Init dynamic tx buffer num: 32
I (693) wifi:Init static tx FG buffer num: 2
I (703) wifi:Init static rx buffer size: 1600
I (703) wifi:Init static rx buffer num: 10
I (713) wifi:Init dynamic rx buffer num: 32
I (713) wifi_init: rx ba win: 6
I (713) wifi_init: accept mbox: 6
I (723) wifi_init: tcpip mbox: 32
I (723) wifi_init: udp mbox: 6
I (723) wifi_init: tcp mbox: 6
I (723) wifi_init: tcp tx win: 5760
I (733) wifi_init: tcp rx win: 5760
I (733) wifi_init: tcp mss: 1440
I (733) wifi_init: WiFi IRAM OP enabled
I (743) wifi_init: WiFi RX IRAM OP enabled
I (753) esp_rmaker_work_queue: Work Queue created.
I (763) esp_claim: Initialising Assisted Claiming. This may take time.
I (773) esp_claim: Private key already exists. No need to re-initialise it.
I (773) esp_rmaker_node: Node ID ----- SazCgPhnrjjHvJnr2kuvvd
I (773) esp_rmaker_ota_using_topics: OTA enabled with Topics
I (783) esp_rmaker_ota: OTA state = 2
I (783) esp_rmaker_time: Initializing SNTP. Using the SNTP server: pool.ntp.org
I (793) esp_rmaker_time_service: Time service enabled
I (793) esp_rmaker_time: SNTP already initialized.
I (803) esp_rmaker_system_service: System service enabled.
I (803) app_insights: Enable CONFIG_ESP_INSIGHTS_ENABLED to get Insights.
I (813) esp_rmaker_common_cmd_resp: Registered command 4096
I (813) esp_rmaker_core: Starting RainMaker Work Queue task
I (823) esp_rmaker_work_queue: RainMaker Work Queue task started.
I (823) esp_claim: Waiting for assisted claim to finish.
I (833) tag: 0x3fcc170c   e5 02 4e 6f 76 61 00 01  00 05 01 00              |..Nova......|
I (843) network_prov_scheme_ble: BT memory released
I (843) app_wifi: Starting provisioning
I (853) phy_init: phy_version 701,f4f1da3a,Mar  3 2025,15:50:10
I (893) wifi:mode : sta (...)
I (893) wifi:enable tsf
I (893) BLE_INIT: BT controller compile version [6cfabcd]
I (893) BLE_INIT: Feature Config, ADV:1, BLE_50:1, DTM:1, SCAN:1, CCA:0, SMP:1, CONNECT:1
I (903) BLE_INIT: Bluetooth MAC: ...
I (903) protocomm_nimble: BLE Host Task Started
I (913) NimBLE: GAP procedure initiated: stop advertising.

I (913) NimBLE: GAP procedure initiated: advertise; 
I (913) NimBLE: disc_mode=2
I (923) NimBLE:  adv_channel_map=0 own_addr_type=0 adv_filter_policy=0 adv_itvl_min=256 adv_itvl_max=256
I (933) NimBLE: 

I (933) network_prov_mgr: Provisioning started with service name : PROV_ccaf22 
I (933) app_wifi: Provisioning started
I (943) esp_rmaker_local: Event 1
I (943) app_network: Scan this QR code from the ESP RainMaker phone app for Provisioning.
I (953) QRCODE: Encoding below text with ECC LVL 0 & QR Code Version 5
I (953) QRCODE: {...}
                                      
<QR CODE>
                                      

I (1153) app_network: If QR code is not visible, copy paste the below URL in a browser.
https://rainmaker.espressif.com/qrcode.html?data={...}
I (1173) app_network: Provisioning will auto stop after 30 minute(s).
I (74543) protocomm_nimble: mtu update event; conn_handle=1 cid=4 mtu=256
I (75533) app_network: Secured session established!
I (78173) esp_claim: Assisted Claiming Started.
I (78753) esp_rmaker_core: New Node ID ----- ER5S3dEu5KJXy2bFE66qdt
W (80003) esp_claim: Assisted Claiming Aborted.

[TheCriticalPath]

One thing I just noticed is that the power led does not come on, but the mute led works when the mute button is pressed.

[espressif2022]

One thing I just noticed is that the power led does not come on, but the mute led works when the mute button is pressed.

OK, I think you download the fw from here ? It's not uesd for esp-box-3，the firmware here should not have a display function, and may also occupy the USB port.

You can try this link.

[TheCriticalPath]

Thank you for all your help. Everything is working again.