Blackpill Circuitpython - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: mandor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 08:59:47 am
content: Hello.I've bought F411 WeAct v3.1 black pill from herehttps://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005001456186625.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.5.305a1802we07ow&gatewayAdapt=glo2deuOption F411 8M HSE, so 8Mhz crystal with no external memory chip.Ive installed STM32CubeIDE 1.19 and managed to program blink code via ST-LINK v2 dongle using this tutorial:https://daniellethurow.com/blog/2021/6/16/getting-started-with-stm32-black-pill-getting-blinky-with-stm32cube-ideI've uploaded (downloaded to the board) circuitpython 10 fromhttps://circuitpython.org/board/stm32f411ce_blackpill_with_flash/I used STM32 ST-LINK and also STM32CubeProgrammer via same ST-LINK v2 dongle.I connect the blackpill via USB-a to USB-c cable while holding Boot0 and in device manager i see STM32 BOOTLOADER.I also tried usbc to usbc cable and different ports.It's my understanding a CIRCUITPY drive should appear in drives (windows 11) but it doesn't.I also tried another board because I bought 3 of them.

author: 8goran8
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 10:43:23 am
content: I think you would need F411 WeAct v3.1 black pill with flash memory IC.

author: mandor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 11:50:23 am
content: Ok, but there are two different firmwares/bootloaders on circuitpython web. With and without flash.How does one upload python code then on the board without external flash?I have never used circuitpython before.

author: mandor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 12:45:59 pm
content: So I guess I should be using mpremote to program the board.I found out that holding boot0 while pluging usb activates STM32 bootloader which then allows STM32CubeProgrammer and similar to program via usb. So I programmed the circuitpython on it again to confirm.But If I plug it in without holding any buttons I get windows message usb device not recognized and device manager says: unknown usb device (device descriptor request failed).

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 04:36:25 pm
content: I once experimented with this in a blue afternoon and I have gotten it to a working state under Linux. I did have to solder on the extra SPI flash memory. I think I only flashed an image onto it with an ST-Link, and after a reset It showed up in my file system, and I could read python files and write a new python file to it too.I did find it sort of cute, but I do not have much interest in programming python (and especially for uC's) and that test was all I ever did with it.

author: mandor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 07:17:36 pm
content: After googling and fiddling around a lot, I managed to upload arduino blink sketch on the black pill. It took me so long because I thought for sure I needed to burn the Arduino bootloader first.I swear google is no help at all anymore. ChatGPT no help at all. I couldn't figure out which port should I use because it dodn't look that it was any of the com ports. Finally I put it into DFU and just tried Upload and it just worked. I did some arduino few years ago and used mainly nano boards. This STM thing was so confusing for me. I just use STM bootloader instead of Arduino? How does that not come up somewhere in my searches.Anyway I have some code in python. I could rewrite it easily in Arduino C i guess. I'm just curious to try python if someone can offer me a solution.

author: 8goran8
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2025, 09:05:48 pm
content: STM32 BOOTLOADER is in Device Manager because you held down Boot0 key.Without that, black pill registers as USB Mass Storage Device.I just tried it now withadafruit-circuitpython-stm32f411ce_blackpill_with_flash-en_US-10.0.0.bin.If your black pill does not have a flash IC, load it withadafruit-circuitpython-stm32f411ce_blackpill-en_US-10.0.0.binI tested that option as well and it works.

author: mandor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2025, 06:18:37 am
content: Hi.As i wrote before, I know there are two versions of circuitpython and I used the one without the flash.And as I wrote before when I connect it without holding buttons i get device manager: unknown usb device (device descriptor request failed).

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 10, 2025, 09:13:19 am
content: Oops...First time it failed to enter my mind that you are attempting circuit python. I used micro python.