hex file too large message

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KD0RC

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I recently completed a project using a Teensy 4.1. Works great. A friend of mine duplicated it. Also works great. Another person is duplicating it but can't get the hex file to load. Hovering the mouse over the file name in Teensy.exe gives the message filename.hex (too large!) The verbose information says File contains data beyond chip size, yikes!

Only the one person cannot load the file, so I am wondering what factors might cause this. Could it be a bad USB cable? We have tried rebooting, loading from a fresh copy and resetting the Teensy back to the blink file using the 15 second programming button press trick.

Here is a link to the file on GitHub.
https://github.com/KD0RC/Teensy-Maestro-for-Flex-6000-radios/releases/tag/V1.008

Thanks for any help,
Len
 
It sounds like that person may be using an older version of the Teensy loader that didn't know about the 4.1. If Help -> About doesn't say "Teensy Loader 1.53" (or newer), it's time to upgrade.
 
Teensy Loader might also be configured for one of the smaller boards. Just press the button on Teensy to go into bootloader mode, so Teensy Loader can detect you have Teensy 4.1. Then open the HEX file.

If the software is too old, it won't be able to detect Teensy 4.1.
 
I am the friend with the issue . . . Where do I find TEENSY Loader 1.53? All I can seem to find is version 1.5.2 which is what I am running now.
 
Found the file downloaded it and now on 1.5.3 Still get error hex file too large. When I press program button on Teensy 4.1 red led lights dim and that is it.

Tried on another computer and verbose says"File contains data beyond chip size yikes"
 
Last edited:
Are you really sure you're starting the downloaded version?
Klick on "Help":

2021-01-14 13_37_02-Start.png
And are you sure you're using the correct Hex File?
How large is it, in Bytes?
 
Try Help > Verbose Info. You can copy & paste that info, or use the Log menu to save it to a file. Maybe showing that info will help us figure out what's going wrong.
 
Log File

IMG_0213.JPG

Other thing I noticed is that I get the File too large when I just right click the file name in the bottom of the Teensy Loader program and the "program" and "reboot" buttons are always grayed out
 
1) Is this a brand new Teensy 4, or has it been used before?
2) Does it blink slowly?
3) Is the USB-Cable you are using a charging only cable or is it for data, too? You can try it with a smartphone or any other USB device.

But the message is mysterious... I think Paul can answer it better...

My last Idea: If nothing works, try to install Arduino and Teensyduino, select "Teensy 4" in the menu and then upload one of the examples.
 
brand new board. When I plug it in the yellow led by the program button blinks slow. When I push program button it goes out and red. led by usb connector lights dim. It is a regular usb data cable and not just for charging.
 
When I push program button it goes out and red. led by usb connector lights dim.

Does anything appear in the Verbose Info window when the red LED (near the USB connector) turns on? The 2 screenshots in msg #8 and #9 have none of the info indicating any USB communication happened. When you press the button and the red LED turns on, lines with info about which Teensy model you have are supposed to show up.



It is a regular usb data cable and not just for charging.

If you press the button and the orange LED stops blinking and red LED lights, but no info shows up in Verbose Info ... then it almost certainly is a charge-only cable.
 
Attached a shorter file, it should upload (Press the button), and blink a bit faster after that.
If this does not work too, there is a Hardware problem.
 

Attachments

  • Blink.ino.TEENSY41.zip
    47.1 KB · Views: 114
FIXED IT . . . Come to find out my USB data cable was not a data cable but a charge only cable. Took a data cable from one of my radios and used it and it flew.
 
Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help. Now that I understand the symptoms, I will be better prepared to help others with this project going forward. I will add this to the troubleshooting section of the user manual.

Len
 
@Paul, can the booloader detect wether it is a charge-only cable or not?

Not really. But it can detect a lack of USB communication. I had originally planned for the red LED to blink slowly if the PC doesn't complete USB enumeration. It did in the early betas, but unfortunately I made a mistake and added a bug just before release which makes the LED turn on solid, the same as normal bootloader mode. It's on my list of things to improve for a future bootloader.

In hindsight, Teensy Loader should probably also avoid certain error messages like that hex file size warning when it has not yet communicated with any Teensy and does not actually know which hardware you're using. Also added that to my list of minor bugs. Will probably fix that for version 1.54.
 
Very cool, thanks Paul. I'm not sure how much attention my project will ultimately get, but the simple, straightforward operation of the Teensy.exe loader is priceless in terms of support time required.
TeensyMaestro.jpg
 
KD0RC, very nice project.
How did you make the front panel?

I'm always too lazy to make a front panel.
At some point my projects end up dusty in a drawer, and are then used much later as a component donor... :(

@Paul:
The Teensy Loader can also print something like "No Teensy found".
 
Thanks Frank, I appreciate it! It is the aluminum panel that came with the box. I drilled it and cut the display window with an old-school nibbling tool. The graphics are just printed on plain paper with .015 inch thick clear PVC sheet from the hardware store on top. I cut the paper and PVC with a very sharp hobby knife and a steel ruler. It was time consuming, but all done with common hand tools. To keep the bare aluminum edge hidden, I just used a permanent black marker around the inside edges of the display window. Many sins were covered with that trick...
Len
 
The Teensy Loader can also print something like "No Teensy found".

When no Teensy is connected in HID bootloader mode, it already does exactly that, but with this message.

main_panel_default.png

And the teensy_reboot utility which Arduino uses to try to ask Teensy to go into bootloader mode prints this:

Teensy did not respond to a USB-based request to enter program mode.
Please press the PROGRAM MODE BUTTON on your Teensy to upload your sketch.
 
(teensy 4.1, windows 11) I went through (at least) 5 USB cables trying to get past the "unable to find..." before I tried a 4 inch cable that came with the RGBDuino Uno "Jenny" that i opened 15 minutes ago. It worked great. Took 4 seconds from start to finish to install the memtest hex file.

- Gary (wd8cia for the hams here)
 
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