Few days ago I spotted on Twitter that there is possible to run Linux on ESP32-S3.
It was good timing as our new EUR 12.00 ESP32-S3-DevKit-Lipo board just hit the mass production, so I got one board and try to replicate the results.
- ESP32-S3-WROOM1 with 8MB RAM and 8MB Flash
- Reset and Boot buttons
- USB-C port with USB-OTG for JTAG debugging and programming
- USB-C port with CH340X for serial UART for programming and debugging
- LiPo charger and battery connector
- pUEXT connector for connecting UEXT modules
- GPIOs available on dual row connector 0.1″ step
I used clean freshly installed Ubuntu 22.04LTS on small box and try to reproduce the script here.
I had to run it dozen of times and it always ended with this or that missing, then it seems to complete, but didn’t program anything to ESP32-S3.
Later I try this with the same result!
I asked on Twitter for help and Rudi (@eMbeddedHome) quickly built binary file just for flashing on ESP32-S3-DevKit-LiPo.
This time everything went smoothly and the board boot normally.
So I will have to keep digging what I do wrong.
$ free -m
reports 3MB free for user apps out of total 7MB
The access to the GPIO is possible via devmem direct write to ESP32-S3 registers:
devmem 0x60004020 32 1
sleep 0.5
devmem 0x60004020 32 0
sleep 0.5
devmem 0x60004020 32 1
sleep 0.5
devmem 0x60004020 32 0
sleep 0.5
Also it seems micropython has “unix” version which could be run on this device!
https://github.com/micropython/micropython/tree/master/ports/unix
olimex 
Jun 29, 2023 @ 15:41:13
Hello, is it this board https://www.olimex.com/Products/IoT/ESP32-S2/ESP32-S2-DevKit-Lipo-USB/open-source-hardware ?
Jun 29, 2023 @ 21:15:26
No. This is about ESP32-S3-DevKit-Lipo it’s new still not listed on the web
Jul 03, 2023 @ 12:19:09
It’s 2023 .. we must assume these later model ESP32s are pre-infected with APT41 type malware during manufacturing (in the microcode to initialize the chip or in the chip itself). The older model ESP32 were also vulnerable to a hardware-glitching technique that had advisors suggesting the chips be pulled from service and recycled with a different supplier.
(Same goes for Allwinner, Rockchip and AMLogic and all other chips fabricated in mainland China where they have almost a billion consumers for these devices, but only if they are infected or infectable, per CCP rules.)
Jul 03, 2023 @ 16:25:29
Alright, thank you 🙂
Aug 18, 2023 @ 18:56:12
hello !
fine, i bought ESP32-S3-DevKit-Lipo and would try to use it, But I do not dfound anywhere a info, how i ccan flash the olix*.bin on the module – help, please. Using Linux, no windows avaialble !
Aug 18, 2023 @ 20:01:07
meanwhile i tried with esptool, with:
esptool erase_flash
esptool.py v2.8
Found 1 serial ports
Serial port /dev/ttyACM0
Connecting…
Detecting chip type…
/dev/ttyACM0 failed to connect: Unexpected UART datecode value 0x03700000. Failed to autodetect chip type.
and it seems I have to hold button1, while press resetbutton.
where do i find a new esptool that works with the device?
Aug 20, 2023 @ 20:52:58
meanwhile i found this: https://adafruit.github.io/Adafruit_WebSerial_ESPTool/
with which i can connect the esp and download the bin-file …
… but when i connect after reboot with cutecom, i only get this one
single line / message:
“[0;32mI (590) esp_psram: SPI SRAM memory test OK[0m␊” …
.. so how can i connect this linux shell on the esp32-S3 ?
Oct 15, 2023 @ 16:07:43
What is Linux password?