Error in initializing ST-LINK device. Reason: (18) Could not verify ST device! Abort connection.

[Fixer]

I'm having an issue using STM32CubeIDE to program my blue pill boards. I get the below error each time.

Error in final launch sequence:

Error in initializing ST-LINK device.

Reason: (18) Could not verify ST device! Abort connection.

Error in initializing ST-LINK device.

Reason: (18) Could not verify ST device! Abort connection.

The strange thing is I have no issue programming my boards using ST-Link Utility. I thought that maybe the chips on my boards were counterfeit but I've tried boards from multiple venders now.

I've looked around online and while I found some people getting the "Error in initializing ST-LINK device." message I haven't seen anyone getting "Reason: (18)".

Any help would be appreciated.

[Fixer]

Ok, I solved it so I figured I'd update in case anyone comes across this thread in the future. It was 100% due to there being a counterfeit chip on my blue pill board. I bought some chips from DigiKey and used a hot air rework station to swap them out. I no longer get the error message I was seeing.

Beware of venders with counterfeit chips!

[C. K.]

I have this exact problem, though when using CubeProgrammer, it does upload to the Blue pill. However using the CubeIDE, I get this error message trying to flash it. Are you sure the actual chip was the problem?

[Fixer]

I'm pretty sure, man. Error 18 has to due with not being able to verify the MCU. Then once I put a new, known good, MCU on the board everything programmed as expected. Lots of blue pills has counterfeit MCUs on them. That's why they are so cheap.

[C. K.]

Do you think that the problem is only with the CubeIDE not being able to detect none-originial MCUs/linkers but that it works with others? Do you also use the mini st-link v2 USB?

[Fixer]

I could always program using St-Link Utility. I've read that the St-Link Utility doesn't check for valid MCUs before programming but that STM32CubeIDE does check. I wanted it to work with the IDE so I could use debugging.

I do use the Mini ST-Link V2 USB programmer.

[Ozone]

The ST-Link utility is, AFAIK, not longer maintained or updated, while the CubeProgrammer is pushed as it's replacement.

Counterfeits might have been less of a problem during the lifetime of the ST-Link Utility, explaining the absence respective checks.

[JElli.1]

Yes, hate the blue pill with clone MCU on it. In my case I have a CKS32F103… instead of STM32F103…

However, if you do end up with one, there is a way to get it working with OpenOCD. >>

1.   Use OpenOCD as your debugger (GDB will not work)

2.   Find the config file : stm32f1x.cfg

Location is similar to this : >>

C:\ST\STM32CubeIDE_1.3.0\STM32CubeIDE\plugins\com.st.stm32cube.ide.mcu.debug.openocd_1.3.0.202002181050\resources\openocd\st_scripts\target

3.   Add the following near the top of stm32f1x.cfg (before the first If – statement):

set CPUTAPID 0

The zero tells OpenOCD to ignore id numbers, which means all clones or genuine MCUs will work.

4.     Save the changes. Now your flash and debug should work. 

Note: If you change to OpenOCD without changing “stm32f1x.cfg�?, you will get the following Error: “UNEXPECTED idcode: 0x2ba01477…. Expected: 0x1ba01477�?, and you will again be stuck.

Information Source: http://openocd.org/doc/html/TAP-Declaration.html#TAP-Declaration-Commands

[OPunc.1]

I have done as you mentioned above. After that I am getting another type of error -->

Error in final launch sequence:

Failed to execute MI command:

load C:\\Users\\Acer\\Downloads\\Embedde-C\\My_workspace\\Target\\LED_Blink\\Debug\\LED_Blink.elf

Error message from debugger back end:

Error erasing flash with vFlashErase packet

Failed to execute MI command:

load C:\\Users\\Acer\\Downloads\\Embedde-C\\My_workspace\\Target\\LED_Blink\\Debug\\LED_Blink.elf

Error message from debugger back end:

Error erasing flash with vFlashErase packet

Failed to execute MI command:

load C:\\Users\\Acer\\Downloads\\Embedde-C\\My_workspace\\Target\\LED_Blink\\Debug\\LED_Blink.elf

Error message from debugger back end:

Error erasing flash with vFlashErase packet

Error erasing flash with vFlashErase packet

Please let me know if you have any idea regarding this problem.

[JElli.1]

Yes, I can help you with that. The reset is not working. Try this>>

 On the “Debug Configurations�? – page  (where you changed “Debug probe�? from …GDB to …OpenOCD), there is one more thing to do >>

• Click: “Show generator options…�?
• Change: “Reset Mode�? to “Software system reset�?
• “Apply�? that, and try again