Hacking Hardware Picofly - a HWFLY switch modchip

[abal1000x]

The epitome of perfection

 

[deeps]

The epitome of perfection

using all the tricks in our little book

- green adapter for dat0/cmd/clk on the back
- alternate 3v3 point next to the emmc
- your alternate back mosfet points (mine are unavailable due to the rp2040-tiny being on top of them)
- ground down all sides of the rp2020-tiny to make it fit between the large caps, removed 5v corner to avoid blocking the screw hole, removed usb ribbon connector and ldo to save some height.
= full back install!

the rp2040-tiny is placed on top of some smaller 0.5mm high caps, which is the only spot on the back of the motherboard it can fit. The rp2040-tiny is about 2.1mm high and total height available between motherboard and chassis is about 2.7mm. add a few layers of kapton tape for insulation and some solder joints and well.... had to remove the usb ribbon connector and ldo for everything to fit without pressing/bending.

Using this location makes no sense. It is a more difficult job, it makes it impossible to test the solder points after attaching the motherboard to the chassis, and the chip LED isn't visible. But I was more interested in whether I could rather than whether I should.

 

[jkyoho]

using all the tricks in our little book

- green adapter for dat0/cmd/clk on the back
- alternate 3v3 point next to the emmc
- your alternate back mosfet points (mine are unavailable due to the rp2040-tiny being on top of them)
- ground down all sides of the rp2020-tiny to make it fit between the large caps, removed 5v corner to avoid blocking the screw hole, removed usb ribbon connector and ldo to save some height.
= full back install!

the rp2040-tiny is placed on top of some smaller 0.5mm high caps, which is the only spot on the back of the motherboard it can fit. The rp2040-tiny is about 2.1mm high and total height available between motherboard and chassis is about 2.7mm. add a few layers of kapton tape for insulation and some solder joints and well.... had to remove the usb ribbon connector and ldo for everything to fit without pressing/bending.

Using this location makes no sense. It is a more difficult job, it makes it impossible to test the solder points after attaching the motherboard to the chassis, and the chip LED isn't visible. But I was more interested in whether I could rather than whether I should.

There is about 2mm you could cut off from rp2040-tiny right pin0~pin8 and you could have the 3.3v sourced from big cap next to pi3usb.

This is very interesting fitment. Wish to have a spare OLED board to try with. LOL

 

[andrefb]

Hey guys, I need some help.

So I installed my Picofly and, on the first try I got a blue light and then a pink/white One, with nothing on the screen. I went to connect it to the PC to install the firmware, but it doesn't show on my PC.

I contacted the vendor, that told it came with the firmware installed and it probably was a solder problem.

I cleaned everything and soldered it again, and now I get a blue and then a green light (which I think is the correct light scheme) but it boots to the OFW.

I tried booting by pressing one of the volume buttons, but I get the same blue then link/white lights I was getting before.

So, is the soldering really the problem? Or this means it's correctly installed and only needs the firmware?

Sorry for the long post, thanks in advance.

 

[Switxh]

Hey guys, I need some help.

So I installed my Picofly and, on the first try I got a blue light and then a pink/white One, with nothing on the screen. I went to connect it to the PC to install the firmware, but it doesn't show on my PC.

I contacted the vendor, that told it came with the firmware installed and it probably was a solder problem.

I cleaned everything and soldered it again, and now I get a blue and then a green light (which I think is the correct light scheme) but it boots to the OFW.

I tried booting by pressing one of the volume buttons, but I get the same blue then link/white lights I was getting before.

So, is the soldering really the problem? Or this means it's correctly installed and only needs the firmware?

Sorry for the long post, thanks in advance.

Sounds like you have a HWFLY RP2040. This is not the right thread for that. They use different board design and out dated firmware that they stole. There's a different thread for those boards post there instead.

 

[andrefb]

Sounds like you have a HWFLY RP2040. This is not the right thread for that. They use different board design and out dated firmware that they stole. There's a different thread for those boards post there instead.

I'm sorry, it says Picofly on it, so I thougt it was the right place.

 

[Dee87]

I'm sorry, it says Picofly on it, so I thougt it was the right place.

Hwfly is still no Pico , hwfly is the "clone" of a picofly they create a board and sell it with community made firmware plus firmware is most if the time outdated.

All Hwfly does is make money and give no support , once u buy it they don't give a f about u.

 

[chronoss]

Hi !!!

Somone can tell me about this error please "=*** eMMC init failure" ?

It boot only on ofw

 

[abal1000x]

Hi !!!

Somone can tell me about this error please "=*** eMMC init failure" ?

It boot only on ofw

Check your CLK connection.

 

[chronoss]

Check your CLK connection.

I check it and its fine but i have the same error

 

[abal1000x]

I check it and its fine but i have the same error

The error emmc init failure means the picofly can't detect the initialization activity of the emmc through cmd line.

If the cpu boot normally to ofw, then the emmc definitely initialized correctly, nothing broken. So the problem lay on the picofly which can't detect the activity correctly.

To read the CMD activity (stream of pulses convert to bytes), picofly need the CLK line. Since the first time picofly turn on it will check the CMD voltage with is around 1.8V, so the CMD line are connected, because the voltage are detected. This leave the CLK line which picofly can't determine how to check if its connected. That is why i conclude the CLK line si problematic.

If what you say the CLK line is okay, then its lead to the possibility that the resistor on CMD line (on the picofly not on the mainboard) is problematic. You might add another 47ohms so the total resistor becomes around 100ohms.

But my gut telling that whether the CLK line problematic or the picofly board problematic.

 

[chronoss]

The error emmc init failure means the picofly can't detect the initialization activity of the emmc through cmd line.

If the cpu boot normally to ofw, then the emmc definitely initialized correctly, nothing broken. So the problem lay on the picofly which can't detect the activity correctly.

To read the CMD activity (stream of pulses convert to bytes), picofly need the CLK line. Since the first time picofly turn on it will check the CMD voltage with is around 1.8V, so the CMD line are connected, because the voltage are detected. This leave the CLK line which picofly can't determine how to check if its connected. That is why i conclude the CLK line si problematic.

If what you say the CLK line is okay, then its lead to the possibility that the resistor on CMD line (on the picofly not on the mainboard) is problematic. You might add another 47ohms so the total resistor becomes around 100ohms.

But my gut telling that whether the CLK line problematic or the picofly board problematic.

Fo the first time, i get an error with the CMD, i fix it and now i have this error...

 

[abal1000x]

Fo the first time, i get an error with the CMD, i fix it and now i have this error...

Its a dumb question, maybe you connecting the wrong wire.
Try to confirm each point who knows maybe you got tired and connect the cmd to clk and clk to cmd.

 

[chronoss]

Its a dumb question, maybe you connecting the wrong wire.
Try to confirm each point who knows maybe you got tired and connect the cmd to clk and clk to cmd.

All point are correct

 

[doom95]

cmd data is clocked in clk line, so an issue with either of them results in similar observation

 

[FlowerFire]

Hi guys, I recently did an install for a friend using the hwfly flex on a V1.
Everything was working perfectly, but when I put back the metal lid, somehow BOTH capacitor shorted, even though I insulated them with kapton.
I luckily fixed the issue by removing both of them and now the switch is functioning again.

But... If I wanted to try the mod anyway, would it work if I tried to use some cable from the now empty spots to the flex cable? Is it reasonably safe?

 

[Dee87]

Hi guys, I recently did an install for a friend using the hwfly flex on a V1.
Everything was working perfectly, but when I put back the metal lid, somehow BOTH capacitor shorted, even though I insulated them with kapton.
I luckily fixed the issue by removing both of them and now the switch is functioning again.

But... If I wanted to try the mod anyway, would it work if I tried to use some cable from the now empty spots to the flex cable? Is it reasonably safe?

replace the capacitors , push the flex properly down and install it properly dont use too much solder so it doesnt bridge.

i mean u could run the switch without them but they are there for a reason so install them back otherwise u might have a bigger damage later

 

[FlowerFire]

replace the capacitors , push the flex properly down and install it properly dont use too much solder so it doesnt bridge.

i mean u could run the switch without them but they are there for a reason so install them back otherwise u might have a bigger damage later

Aren't they only "filters"? Early picofly guides even suggested to remove them and solder the mosfet directly there.
I mean, of course they're there for a reason, but is the risk really that big?

 

[Dee87]

Aren't they only "filters"? Early picofly guides even suggested to remove them and solder the mosfet directly there.
I mean, of course they're there for a reason, but is the risk really that big?

sure they are "only " filters , but they are there for a reason so eather replace them or leave it how they are u have some on the raspi u can use ....

do how u think...

 

[FlowerFire]

sure they are "only " filters , but they are there for a reason so eather replace them or leave it how they are u have some on the raspi u can use ....

do how u think...

Nah bro, I didn't mean to sound like I don't believe what you're saying, I'm genuinely asking because you know much more than me. This friend of mine bought one of those "hwfly 2040" chips on aliexpress, so it's a rp2040 mounted on a flex. I don't think I can get those capacitor from it.

So I was just asking if the risk is really that high, because I don't have any of them around at the moment and placing an order would take a long time