ESP32 framework installation on Windows XP

On Windows XP the installation of arduino-esp32 fails with an error thrown by get.exe.

User JamesGKent found an explanation and partly solution.

Explanation:

The issue with esp32 on windows xp is get.exe, esptool.exe are basically a compiled version of the python scripts, they’ve been built with a new version of pyserial library that does not work on windows XP.

Solution:

Modify the platform.txt file so that it uses python like the Linux version does.
Note that you’ll need to have a version of python and the pyserial library installed that support XP (python <=3.4, pyserial 2.7). Changes in platform.txt:

line 9: tools.esptool.cmd.windows=esptool.py
line 81: recipe.objcopy.hex.pattern=py "{tools.esptool.path}/{tools.esptool.cmd}" --chip esp32 elf2image --flash_mode "{build.flash_mode}" --flash_freq "{build.flash_freq}" --flash_size "{build.flash_size}" -o "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.elf"
line 98: tools.esptool.upload.pattern=py "{path}/{cmd}" --chip esp32 --port "{serial.port}" --baud {upload.speed}  --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode {build.flash_mode} --flash_freq {build.flash_freq} --flash_size detect 0xe000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin" 0x1000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/sdk/bin/{build.boot}.bin" 0x10000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" 0x8000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.partitions.bin"

line 9: tools.esptool.cmd.windows=esptool.py

line 81: recipe.objcopy.hex.pattern=py "{tools.esptool.path}/{tools.esptool.cmd}" --chip esp32 elf2image --flash_mode "{build.flash_mode}" --flash_freq "{build.flash_freq}" --flash_size "{build.flash_size}" -o "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.elf"

line 98: tools.esptool.upload.pattern=py "{path}/{cmd}" --chip esp32 --port "{serial.port}" --baud {upload.speed} --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode {build.flash_mode} --flash_freq {build.flash_freq} --flash_size detect 0xe000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin" 0x1000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/sdk/bin/{build.boot}.bin" 0x10000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" 0x8000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.partitions.bin"

This should let you compile at lease, but doesn’t fix the missing mkspiffs…