STM32F103C8T6 - Cant be found?

[VK4KYT]

Hi all,

I'm very new to the STM32 world but still trying to figure out how things work.

I have installed the STM32CubIDE software without issue, but my problems start when I try to develop and upload a blink application.

No matter what I do, the ST-Link server starts but is unable to find the connected "Blue Pill" (BP) board.  The LED power lights on both the ST-Link and the BP board are on, but that's as far as it goes.

The BP board that I have has three small push buttons, the usual power rest button and two others labeled HRST and BOOT0.  It does not have the big jumper header that I see in most on-line images.   
I'm not sure (and cannot find) information on how these buttons should be treated and what their purpose is.

Can anyone suggest how I should go about troubleshooting further?

Many thanks

Luke.  VK4KYT

[Tesla DeLorean]

It's not an ST-LINK, and as such won't be found as one.

If you have an external ST-LINK you can use the SWDIO/SWCLK pins to wire it up.

The BOOT0 button might permit you to bring the board up as a "STM32 BOOT" device, a USB DFU device, and that could be used with STM32 Cube Programmer in USB mode, and uploaded via DFU. The STM32F1 is like 15 years old, I don't recollect which models support DFU mode, they all support UART mode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L670v-Oghs4

If the part doesn't support DFU mode, you can use STM32 Cube Programmer and UART1 via PA9/PA10, and program out of the ROM based System Loader via a COM port

Many of the BluePills have fake chips. The gum-stick ST-LINKs are also fake/counterfeit.

For a simple experience, perhaps look at a NUCLEO board which integrates an ST-LINK via a second MCU

[VK4KYT]

Thank you for your reply.

The more I delve into this, the more I'm starting to think that I have a faulty Blue Pill board!

I've been using the Cube IDE which basically just told me that no target device was found.

A YouTube Video suggested using the Cube Programmer which gives a bit more feedback as follows.

07:03:38 : UR connection mode is defined with the HWrst reset mode
07:03:38 : ST-LINK SN : 142816089218303030303032
07:03:38 : ST-LINK FW : V2J45S7
07:03:38 : Board : --
07:03:38 : Voltage : 3.12V
07:03:38 : Error: Unable to get core ID
07:03:38 : Error: No STM32 target found! If your product embeds Debug Authentication, please perform a discovery using Debug Authentication

So it appears that my ST-LINK is good, but that no STM32 target could be found connected to it.  I have tried reversing the data lines but without any gain. I was pretty confident that I had them correct in the first instance.

I will order a new Blue Pill or two and try again.

Thanks for your input.

Luke