Help with setting up Marlin 2.0 on a BTT SKR-2 motherboard

Hello all, I need help with my setup of a Big TreeTech SKR-2 and a Big Tree Tech TFT35-E3 V3 touch screen. I have spent countless hours digging through various sites, viewing many Youtube Videos and Creality CR-10 documents with still no success, Can It be that hard?, well for a 79 year old non-programer , (maybe ! ).

I started with a fresh copy of Marlin Bug2.0 , changed the configure.h and configure_adv.h files to include the basics settings for my Creality CR-10, no filament sensor and no dual Z axis, no power failure recovery, a direct drive extruder using the stock drive motor used on the bowden setup.(this had worked great on my old 8bit board.

When I compiled Marlin Bugfix2.0 using VS Code I actually got a "success" report but when I tried the compiled ".h" file on my SD card the board would light up as normal the (leds) but the TFT35 showed "No Printer Attached". I thought I had made an error and went back to reading about Marlin, Marlin Auto Builder and so
on, in the meantime I erased the files to start again. I later read that the TFT35 will sometimes give that error if the baud rates are not the same on each board.

I finally started over using Marlin 2.0.9 doing it all from scratch again, Did I mention that I'm using TM2209 drivers? I never did understand how I activate the values for my hot end and bed heaters and designate the sensors. as that info does not seem to follow the "uncomment" fashion as other values. I attempted to compile Marlin, making sure to include the correct Discount full graphics choice for the screen and encoder. I didn't receive a bunch of errors but I did receive (in red) the sentence that stated incomplete. So, i don't know what I left out of the program before compiling.

I can upload the files that I have, if some kind person is willing to help me out with this process. And maybe someone else will find these boards and printer to be of value. Please respond and I will upload the files I am working on at this point. thank you, for taking the time to read this diatribe! jobob64

The touch screen part of the TFT needs a serial port setup in Marlin.
This controller has a TFT port, this is serial port 1

Most use #define SERIAL_PORT 1 and #define SERIAL_PORT_2 -1

And yes #define BAUDRATE 115200 should match the baud rate of the touch screen


As for compile errors, you need to post the errors or preferably your config files so we reproduce the errors before we can offer any advice.

Thanks Dusty,
I was using serial port 3 out of confusion so I will correct that in my next Marlin Auto Build. If I am unable to succeed with the build, I will attach the files and ask for more help, Thanks again, jobob64

I have changed the serial port to 2_1. I attempted to compile marlin bugfix2 for the BIG TREE Tech SKR-2 board 3 times but failed because Auto build Marlin and platformio did not recognize the board. I copied and pasted the board name from the board.h file that was closest to BTT SKR-2 which was the revision B board because I could not find the SKR-2 board listed. No.luck!

Has anyone been successful flashing either Marlin 2.0 or the latest bug fix 2.0.x on this board? I expected that I would get past the motherboard error this time and then go on and correct other errors along the pipeline. Is this board supported for a Marlin build?
As I stated before, I am not a programmer so this is all new to me, any help is appreciated.

I was able to compile a simple version for the original Melzi board for a cr10 so, I think that I understand the concept of compiling and flashing the board, I may be just too darn old to pull it off! I'm hoping to find a solution so that I can move on with my printing and flying Rc models thanks in I'm not in the same area as my laptop so I'll have to Sent the files as an attachment in a later post thank you for your patience, jobob

#define BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_A      4211  // BigTreeTech SKR v2.0 Rev A (STM32F407VGT6)
#define BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B      4212  // BigTreeTech SKR v2.0 Rev B (STM32F407VGT6)

So you set

// Choose the name from boards.h that matches your setup
#ifndef MOTHERBOARD
  #define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B
#endif

The autobuild uses the pins.h

#elif MB(BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_A)
  #include "stm32f4/pins_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_A.h"  // STM32F4                                env:BIGTREE_SKR_2 env:BIGTREE_SKR_2_USB
#elif MB(BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B )
  #include "stm32f4/pins_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B.h"  // STM32F4                                env:BIGTREE_SKR_2 env:BIGTREE_SKR_2_USB

So If you have BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B the autobuild will give you the build env options env:BIGTREE_SKR_2 and env:BIGTREE_SKR_2_USB

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/09/2021 01:47AM by Dust.

Dust, thanks for trying to help. I went over configure.h and configure_adv.h and check all my entries again. I copied the motherboard name in board.h file and reentered it into the Motherboard line 142 in the configure file and then recompiled again 2 times with the same error. The error in red stated that I gave the wrong value for the motherboard and that the motherboard is "unknown". Maybe I put the word "Mother" in front of Board in the define line, but I tried it both ways( with and without) the word Mother and the same error came up, i'm missing something here, clearly! I will include the two configure files as an attachment so maybe someone can straighten me out if they would be so kind. I sure feel ignorant about the processes that I am failing to accomplish to get my CR-10 v1 (vanilla) and the SKR-2 board to play nice together! Cr-10 SKR-2 board, TFT35-E3 v3.0. No runout, no probe, Direct drive extruder, MicroSwiss hot end, Fang duct, 1.75 filament. Just in case anyone is interested what equipment I am working on for this project along with Marlin 2.0 bugfix 2.0. Thanks in advance for any help that may come my way, jobob64

You have

#define MOTHERBOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B

You need

#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B

It must be exactly like the second one

Continuing on the "Saga of building Marlin Bugfix 2.0 into a BTT SKR-2 Board with a TFT35-3.
I have managed a successful build according to Marlin Auto Build
I copied the firmware.bin file, changed the name to: firmware.CUR and copied it to a freshly formatted 8gig sd card and inserted it into the sd slot on the board
I verified that my board is indeed a Revision B board
I energized my printer and verified that: Red lights on board light up , green light indicated sd card is in the slot.
The following results :

Graphics menu is present and touch screen is on.
Marlin Menu shows Marlin logo only and is inoperable
No indication of a firmware "flash"
Message" No Printer Attached". This message has been happening through out the entire "Trial By Fire" through all iterations of builds I have attempted.

The controller is clearly not communicating with the board and there is absolutely no action with the printer.
I am aware that the message I am getting can be caused by serial connection, I think that I have the correct serial connections, but may have missed something.
I am assuming that nothing will work with the printer until I get past the serial connection problem

Since I had a "successful" message in Marlin auto build that I had set up everything correctly but I must be wrong.

I used configured file examples from Github in my build, both the configure.h and configure_adv.h and Marlin bugfix2.0

The missteps on my part have been many, i have spent the last month on this adventure and don't want to give up, but I have about exhausted my options.

I will post the files to see if someone can shed some light on my problems with this setup.

Someone mentioned on a forum that there is another file that needs to be added to the sdcard besides the 2 configure files, but i do not know what they would be.

Also The TFT board is connected with both ribbon cables and the 4pin connector including the single pin connector on the reset pin next to the 4 pin connector on the TFT 5 pin connector on the board.

I am assuming that my boards are not faulty and that any problems are my errors.

Again, I'm really desperate to solve this situation because at this point " I'm dumber than a fence post "

Disconnect the touchscreen and use a standard 12864 screen (like the ender 3), and see if it boots. Most of the touch screens I have seen for the printers out there have to be flashed separately (or was it simultaneously?) with the printer or the screen is inoperable. It should boot, if the firmware is good, to the 12864. I have an Ender 6 that stopped talking to the touchscreen as soon as Marlin was installed, but it booted fine to the 12864. It acted very similar to what your saying and I chased it for a bit as well. Never got back around to getting the touch screen working again.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2021 06:53PM by piefairy.

"I copied the firmware.bin file, changed the name to: firmware.CUR and copied it to a freshly formatted 8gig sd card and inserted it into the sd slot on the board"

no...

you copy firmware.bin to the sd card and put that in the controller.
The controller after loading firmware.bin to the flash ram will rename it firmware.cur to tell you it has been loaded.

The controller ignores the filename firmware.cur

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2021 11:11PM by Dust.

Looking at your config the serial port don't seem to be correct.

The TFT is just a serial port for Marlin. On the SKR-2 the TFT port is serial port 1

So you want #define SERIAL_PORT 1

You also want to have the USB port enabled

So you also want #define SERIAL_PORT_2 -1

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/2021 11:33PM by Dust.

Thanks Dust,
I'll give it a try when I get back from work tomorrow. It is so easy to miss some of these little details! I sure hope that I can get the machine working again. Thanks again, jobob6464

I have the same exact equipment and the same exact problem. Please help.

I gave up! Too much work, too little return!
Rumor has it that a chip was substituted for production that is not happy with Marlin 2.0.
I do not know that for fact, so take it for what it is worth.

I have nothing against BTT but their product support did not even answer my requests for information. Both my boards were quality built and finished, they just would not work beyond the LEDs lighting up.

My time is worth more to me than “experimenting”, for a company with production problems.
Good luck with the process and may you be successful jobob64

Thanks Dust,
Finally someone with complete answers to this difficulty with that stupid message "No printer found".
The serial port configuration in Marlin 2.0.x that you gave was the trick.
Plus the comment on how the firmware.bin is changed to firmware.CUR once it has been flashed correctly was perfect for me being newbie to vscode.

I've been running into a few challenges getting my SKR 2 board (Rev and TFT35-E3 V3 touch screen, and would love some guidance.

I have an old Rapman 3.2 printer, which looks like the older RepRap Darwin. The control board fried and there isn't a replacement, so I decided to upgrade it to the SKR 2. I started by trying to load the RepRap firmware, but for whatever reason, I wasn't able to see the firmware update, or see the config.g file settings applied. How I was testing was to look at the info, which showed me the wrong printer name, so I assume it isn't loading properly. I don't want to connect it to my printer if the configuration is not current, so I'm sort of at a loss for how to proceed down that path.

I gave up out of frustration and decided to try Marlin. I'm on a Mac and don't have Visual Studio, so I wasn't able to follow a YouTube video I found on installing Marlin on the SKR 2. I did find a website that provided a path using Sublime Text 3. When I try to build using PlatformIO, I get an error that I can't figure out.

python version 2.7.16
ERROR – invalid board
BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B

I usually start with eliminating anything I've done as potential culprit, and downloaded the latest Marlin from Github. Same error when I try to build. The only thing I can think of is that the I don't see a board file in buildroot > share > PlatformIO > boards. Wondering if the board is invalid because the definition for the board does not exist? Seems odd since I downloaded Marlin from the BTT SKR 2 Github repo.

Anyway...I am very much out of my depth. Any ideas would be appreciated. I just want to revive my old printer.

Looks like BTT released a new board with a new chip on it. It's not the 407 anymore. I've got the same issue. Waiting for Marlin to catch up to BTT's changes.

@Jaycen

Open your eye and look again.

Was added to Marlin a month ago. [github.com]

Just select build environment BIGTREE_SKR_2_F429 or BIGTREE_SKR_2_F429_USB
Same MOTHERBOARD, same pins

Hi, I really need help here I have the SKR 2 board and can not get it to compile. I have the news verson of marlin 2.0.9.3 bug fix and the bug fix config file.
I have the mother board set to MOTHERBOARD BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B that is the only board in the board file that is even close to the board.
My board uses the STM 32F429 chip.
I have read all the post here and tried to find the 2 boards BIGTREE_SKR_2_F429 or BIGTREE_SKR_2_F429_USB there is no such boards listed the only board that is there is the
BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B and REV_A.
An help would be great.
thank

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2022 02:24PM by Eds100.

@Eds100

You don't set that as the motherboard the motherboard is the same, ie still #define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_BTT_SKR_V2_0_REV_B

To select the F429 variant you set default_envs = BIGTREE_SKR_2_F429 in platformio.ini ( or BIGTREE_SKR_2_F429_USB )

Or you select that option using the GUI if using something like ABM

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2022 06:34PM by Dust.

Thank you . I am off to fix it thanks again..
Thank you, Everything is work great thank you for the help.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2022 04:51AM by Eds100.