# External QSPI flash drive not mounting

**URL:** <https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814>\
**Category:** Arduino Boards\
**Created:** [October 11, 2023, 5:01am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814 "2023-10-11T05:01:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 16\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 11:31am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/22 "2023-10-11T11:31:02Z")

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> [@yokonav](#):
>
> Also, I wanted to confirm one thing. Is the OpenMV’s bootloader different than the default Arduino’s one?

No we don’t provide a bootloader for Arduino boards and we don’t overwrite it.

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**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 11:40am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/23 "2023-10-11T11:40:51Z")

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I guess the OpenMV IDE firmware flashing process is not erasing/formatting the external QSPI flash successfully.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 11:54am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/24 "2023-10-11T11:54:56Z")

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Do you have the similar log for the QSPI flash?

 ![flashing_1](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/openmv1/original/2X/6/63635e5cf63fe3008800d3d7ecf70313c5789002.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 12:13pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/25 "2023-10-11T12:13:59Z")

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> [@yokonav](#):
>
> I guess the OpenMV IDE firmware flashing process is not erasing/formatting the external QSPI flash successfully.

No I check it does erase it as well as the internal flash file system sector, it’s configured correctly, and both our firmware and MicroPython work on 2 of the boards we tested. I’m still not sure what’s different about your board, I did notice the trailing markings on the QSPI are different but it could be just a batch number.

`0x90F00000` is the address used for the WiFi firmware, we flashing the firmware it gets loaded as well.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 12:21pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/26 "2023-10-11T12:21:47Z")

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Is there any way to format and make the filesystem on the external flash from the Micropython code? I do not need WiFI so an empty filesystem should be ok.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 12:36pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/27 "2023-10-11T12:36:35Z")

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There’s no straightforward way, you could try:

```plaintext
import os
import machine, pyb

bdev = pyb.Flash()
vfs = os.VfsFat(bdev)
machine.reset()
del os, bdev, vfs

```

But first I was told there was an issue with some floating pins on the QSPI or something like that, that affected some users/parts, I’ve attached a firmware with a patch for that issue let me know if it works.

[firmware.dfu](https://forums.openmv.io/uploads/short-url/idda3wnbYETxgrzS2VaeujxRScU.dfu) (1.0 MB)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 12:50pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/28 "2023-10-11T12:50:36Z")

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This firmware worked! 😀

 ![Screenshot 2023-10-11 at 21.49.13](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/uploads/openmv1/original/2X/6/6d54ddf11797e005e6b7d51ee08c45f080c7c65d.png)

But I am not able to connect it using the OpenMV IDE.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/29 "2023-10-11T12:51:18Z")

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Yes we will need to patch our firmware as well.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 12:56pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/30 "2023-10-11T12:56:04Z")

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Yes, I can access it using serial terminal **screen /dev/tty.usbmodem3956374F31322 115200**. Thanks a lot for your help! I assume the next OpenMV IDE release would be able to connect it.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 12:57pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/31 "2023-10-11T12:57:09Z")

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> [@yokonav](#):
>
> ! I assume the next OpenMV IDE release would be able to connect it.

The next firmware release will have a patch for the QSPI flash issue. To use the IDE you need our firmware, it can’t connect to MicroPython (well it has a serial terminal feature but that’s just like using screen).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2023, 9:29am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/32 "2023-10-12T09:29:00Z")

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@yokonav Hi, could you please test the attached firmware and see if it still works ? I made small changes and just want to be sure it still works before committing this fix. Thanks!

[firmware.dfu](https://forums.openmv.io/uploads/short-url/fo2ygi3Pp8zB65qadZEjtRp4nMi.dfu) (1.0 MB)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2023, 10:21am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/33 "2023-10-12T10:21:15Z")

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Hi @iabdalkader

Yes, it works!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2023, 10:22am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/34 "2023-10-12T10:22:32Z")

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Thank you!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/35 "2023-10-15T12:15:32Z")

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Hi @iabdalkader,

Have you got a chance to merge the changes into the latest development release?

Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![yokonav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/87869e/32.png) [@yokonav](https://forums.openmv.io/u/yokonav)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/36 "2023-10-17T09:46:37Z")

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I just saw it has been merged. Thanks a lot!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![iabdalkader](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/forums.openmv.io/iabdalkader/32/1169_2.png) [@iabdalkader](https://forums.openmv.io/u/iabdalkader)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 10:43am UTC](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814/37 "2023-10-17T10:43:05Z")

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Yes I did, and it’s also merged in MicroPython.

[Previous page](https://forums.openmv.io/t/external-qspi-flash-drive-not-mounting/8814.md?page=1)