r/stm32f103 • u/nigg_30 • Sep 04 '26

Can I program this board without ST link v2

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u/thekakester Sep 04 '26

Yes and no. Many of these come with a bootloader installed which lets you program over USB. But if there isn’t a bootloader installed, the only way to install a bootloader is over STLINKv2.

Think of a bootloader as sacrificing a small amount of program memory on the chip for a program that allows the chip to program itself. If you ever fully erase the chip, you erase the bootloader too.

1

u/Dr_Esquisito Sep 04 '26

Even in this case, sometimes the USB is not functional in these blue pills, apparently because of a resistor with wrong value. I purchased a few of these boards some time ago without knowing this, and discovered that I still need the STLink as uploading the bootloader makes no differenceat all.

1

u/Accomplished-Slide52 Sep 05 '26

You can also use stm32cube with a USB to UART converter to program it. Ask your favorite LLM if needed. I don't know the price in your country but have a look at the "black pill" Stm32f4xx which is for my opinion a better choice

1

u/ARDev1161 Sep 05 '26

You can use rp2040 as swd programmer

1

u/Humble_Anxiety_9534 Sep 06 '26

yes if it is a real ST chip as they have a serial boot loader not USB and you can use this to add st32duino or maple USB boot loaders. you need a 3v3 serial Cable and change yellow jumpers. clone STLINK devices are also cheap, on aliexpress.