Hi, Guys this is my small blog on how to solve two problems which I faced!
1. SDK Installation (TAP-Windows wont install! Therefore 'Azure Sphere Device Communication Service' wont start!)
2. Suddenly your Azure Sphere Died (Wont power with any charger or wires! U5 Regulator replacement!)
First - SDK Installation Errors!
Before following the instructions here check -
- No other TAP-Windows drivers present (No other VPN services and software's running!)
- Visual Studio 2019 / 2017 with following workloads (works for some doesn't work for some!)
--- Azure (Web & Cloud)
--- Desktop Development with C++ (Windows)
--- Linux Development with C++ (Other toolsets)
Follow the steps below -
- Click cancel here
- Go to Windows 10 settings and click on Apps
- Search for Azure Sphere SDK in the search bar shown here
Click on 'Azure Sphere SDK Preview for Visual Studio', you'll find two buttons Modify and Uninstall. Click on Modify! Then wait for some sesconds until you find such a windows with these options Repair, Uninstall and Close.
Click on Repair and then wait for some minutes! Voila! You did it! And it works again like new!
Second - U5 Regulator Repair!
Maybe some Manufacturing defect or your supply defect! Somewhere like 0.5% boards are facing this issue.
The U5 component on board is a 5v to 3.3v Low Volt Protection Regulator.
Before following the guide just check -
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-sphere/install/install
- If no other power supply are working, try changing the cables and chargers.
- If your green light is seriously OFF!
(sorry for the low quality pics, I didn't have my mom's phone while writing this blog so had to take pics in my Nokia Asha 210 -> 2.0mp camera!)
Follow the steps below -
- Remove the USB cable keep it aside.
- Find the U5 component on the board. A simple looking miniature black IC. Situated between C8 and C10, left to C3, above C9. BEST OF LUCK finding the regulator! 
(Can you see a place with no IC and just some soldier points this was the place where U5 IC sat! GOT MUM'S PHONE!)
- Removed / Popped out U5
- Okay now when you find the component again connect the board or power the board, use a multi meter to check the power supply across the component. If you don't have a multi meter like me, go to a nearby mobile or computer repair shop and ask them to help in checking the component in and out voltages if you see a NO out from the IC you successfully found that the IC is damaged.
- Now go home and buy a replacement for your board or buy a 5v to 3.3v 3A step down regulator. I had brought -> https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07G26ZYB8 . You can find the same thing in Amazon.com and other online shopping marts!
*- Now after receiving the replacement regulator, get a Hot Air Gun or a Heat Gun to remove the damaged component from the board, am not sure what would happen if we do the connection without removing the damaged component. But its safe to remove the component someone in Hacster.io said that other components in te board may get damaged due to this single component. If you don't have a Heat Gun or Hot Air Gun like me, go to a nearby mobile or computer repair shop and ask them to carefully remove the small component carefully.
- This is how my regulator looks like! (VO+ and IN+ are the important pins to look for!)
- Now follow the connection diagram for the new regulator!
- Do the connections accordingly.
- Seems that some LDO (Low-dropout) boards have wrong silkscreen marks (voltages displaced and so on...), check always the output voltage before connecting to the Azure board!
- Also adjust the potentiometer carefully after installing it to match 3.3V with the current the board is drawing.
- Be sure of the max current output of the LDO you are using, WiFi has big peak current demand when transmitting!
This is what I did to resurrect my board!
| {gallery} WORK DONE! |
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The single BLUE wire jumps GND! Yellow is my VO+ and Blue is my IN+. |
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Thank You! mvp He had helped in first replacing the regulator!
davidlr helped in finding out some LDO Regulator Issues!
Hackster.io Post on regulatro fix -> https://www.hackster.io/contests/SecureEverything/discussion/posts/5218
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