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Associate
May 1, 2026
Question

ST-Link clone drivers

  • May 1, 2026
  • 5 replies
  • 656 views

I don't know id this is normal, but I got one of those cheap Chinese ST-Link clones. It worked at first when I plugged it into my PC and installed the drivers and STM32 Utility.

I tried connecting my MCU to STM32 Utility, but at the time I didn’t realize my MCU is an Artery one, not STM32. It still connected though, and when I tried to program it, I got an error saying “ELF loader not available.” I didn’t really know what that meant since I’m still pretty new to this stuff.

After that I started messing around with the option bytes settings, and I might’ve changed something I shouldn’t have. I don’t remember exactly what I did, but after that my ST-Link stopped working.

Now the LED on it is red, while I’ve seen other people say theirs is blue. From what I read it might be a driver issue, but I’m not sure. I even bought another ST-Link clone and it does the same thing, just red light and no connection.

When I try to connect in STM32 Utility, I get an error, whether the target is connected or not wich said

 

01:08:17 : Can not connect to target!
If you're trying to connect to an STM32W1xx device, please select Normal or HotPlug mode from Target->Settings menu.
If you're trying to connect to a low frequency application , please select a lower SWD Frequency mode from Target->Settings menu.

01:08:18 : No target connected

 

Not sure if this is a driver problem or if I messed something up in the settings. Please help!

5 replies

AScha.3
Super User
May 2, 2026

Use CubeProgrammer , set connect: software reset .

Then show, what is it telling...

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freddy20Author
Associate
May 2, 2026

Here is what it says. I even used both my ST-Links

AScha.3
Super User
May 2, 2026

nono...you should show this:

AScha3_1-1777739114023.png

connect ->

AScha3_0-1777739006801.png

...here connecting a st-link "stick" to H743 cpu

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freddy20Author
Associate
May 4, 2026

..

AScha.3
Super User
May 4, 2026

You should set it to: 

- software reset

- mode: normal or hot plug

--- because: these st-link have no working hardware reset !

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freddy20Author
Associate
May 4, 2026

That didn't work somehow. Here is my whole CubeProgramer

AScha.3
Super User
May 4, 2026

Ok, now it tries connect - but there is no (STM) target cpu.

So what target you connected to VDD, SWD, SWC, GND  ?

+ is it a STM32xxxx cpu ? 

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freddy20Author
Associate
May 4, 2026

..

freddy20Author
Associate
May 10, 2026

I am pretty sure that my target is a stm32 target but I don't know the last xxxx ones. And I think I am connecting to SWD. Or my ST-Link is connected to the GND SWLCK SWIDO on the board.

AScha.3
Super User
May 10, 2026

>pretty sure that my target is a stm32 

What is it ? you didnt tell...can you show a pic of the chip , to see whats written there ?

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