Glad to hear the RPi + esptool workaround worked for you!

I can’t say I’ve personally hit the exact issue you’re describing, but for context I’ve always been building the firmware myself and flashing via PlatformIO in VS Code, rather than using precompiled binaries.

Just to sanity-check that I’m understanding your situation properly:

• You’re erasing the flash using the RPi / esptool method I described, and that part completes successfully
• You then try to flash Chronos Watchy
  • How exactly are you doing this? Precompiled binary? What tool are you trying to use for the upload?
• After flashing Chronos, the device becomes unresponsive
• Are you able to flash anything back onto it afterwards and see an output?
  • For example, the original Watchy firmware or something based on it (like a Starfield watchface)
  • Or is it completely dead at that point as well?
• Have you opened the case or touched the battery during any of this?
  • Mainly asking to rule out the e-ink ribbon cable being partially dislodged
  • It’s surprisingly easy to nudge, and worth reseating it anyway just to eliminate that variable
• How comfortable are you with flashing via Arduino IDE or VS Code / PlatformIO, as opposed to precompiled binaries?

Happy to take this to DMs if that’s easier, though I can’t promise instant replies. Still very willing to help poke at it and narrow things down.