Here's my proposal ...Basically a USB-to-UART dongle plugged into the PC. Connected to UART on a Pi. It might be possible to use USB Gadget mode to avoid needing the dongle.
The PC has 'rp2040load' replaced with a Python or C equivalent which can send the UF2 to the Pi for upload, report if that worked or failed. The UF2 could be compressed to improve transfer speed.
The Pi runs a Python or C server waiting for a UF2 to be transferred to it. Saves to disk, then uploads it via 'picotool'. When the Pico reboots it waits for its USB serial port to become available. It then acts as a serial transfer bridge between PC and Pico until it gets a command from the next run of the 'rp2040load' replacement which receives and uploads the next UF2.
It's all via USB serial so doesn't have any external drive issues and should work with Arduino Serial Monitor, or 'minicom', 'putty' etc.
Rinse and repeat. It could probably all be done with a Pi Zero.
Code:
___ .--|___|---.-. ______ | | | | |_ | .--|-|------.--. .---------. | |_|--' | ::::::::: |__|----| Pico | | PC | | | | `---------' | | | |--| |______| | | | `-----------^--'The PC has 'rp2040load' replaced with a Python or C equivalent which can send the UF2 to the Pi for upload, report if that worked or failed. The UF2 could be compressed to improve transfer speed.
The Pi runs a Python or C server waiting for a UF2 to be transferred to it. Saves to disk, then uploads it via 'picotool'. When the Pico reboots it waits for its USB serial port to become available. It then acts as a serial transfer bridge between PC and Pico until it gets a command from the next run of the 'rp2040load' replacement which receives and uploads the next UF2.
It's all via USB serial so doesn't have any external drive issues and should work with Arduino Serial Monitor, or 'minicom', 'putty' etc.
Rinse and repeat. It could probably all be done with a Pi Zero.
Statistics: Posted by hippy — Mon Sep 29, 2025 11:21 pm