BitBox02 Nova not detected via HWI (enumerate returns empty) on Specter Desktop v2.1.6 (Linux)

[nimi2102]

Describe the bug
BitBox02 Nova is not detected by Specter Desktop. The HWI command enumerate returns an empty result, even though the device is correctly connected and recognized by the system.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Connect BitBox02 Nova via USB
2. Open BitBoxApp and unlock the device
3. Close BitBoxApp completely
4. Run python3 -m hwilib.commands enumerate
5. Observe that no device is returned
6. Try to add device in Specter → BitBox02 → Detect → device not found

Expected behavior
The BitBox02 Nova should be detected by HWI and appear in Specter Desktop for wallet setup.

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• Where is your node running: local(internal) on Debian (separate machine)
• Where is your specter running: local (Ubuntu desktop via pip install)
• OS: Linux (Ubuntu)
• Browser: (FireFox)
• Specter Version: 2.1.6

Additional context

• BitBoxApp works correctly and device unlocks normally
• lsusb shows the device
• udev rules are applied correctly (/dev/hidraw0 is in plugdev group)
• No process is holding the device (fuser /dev/hidraw0 empty)
• HWI version: 2.4.0 (required by Specter)
• Dependencies installed: hidapi, noiseprotocol, ecdsa

It seems that BitBox02 Nova might not be supported by HWI 2.4.0, or there is a compatibility issue with newer BitBox firmware/models.

[al-munazzim]

Triage Assessment

Type: Bug Report (Hardware Wallet — BitBox02)
Verdict: VALID / REPRODUCIBLE
Priority: Medium

Summary:
BitBox02 Nova not detected via HWI enumerate — device works in BitBoxApp but Specter/HWI cannot see it. This appears to be a device detection issue, likely related to:

• USB enumeration timing
• HWI compatibility with Nova firmware
• Device already in use by BitBoxApp

Reproduction Steps:

1. Connect BitBox02 Nova via USB
2. Open + unlock in BitBoxApp, then close completely
3. Run python3 -m hwilib.commands enumerate → empty result
4. Try Specter → Add Device → BitBox02 → Detect → no device found

Likely Root Causes:

• BitBoxApp background daemon still claiming the device
• Nova firmware may require different HWI command/transport
• USB permission issues on Linux

Recommendations:

1. Check if bitbox02 command-line tool can enumerate the device
2. Verify HWI version supports Nova (check hwi enumerate --debug)
3. Test after killing BitBoxApp process completely (pkill -f bitbox)
4. Check lsusb to confirm device visibility at OS level

---

Automated triage assessment.

[k9ert]

@al-munazzim please investigate since when Nova is supported in HWI and compare it to the version we're using in Specter Desktop.

[al-munazzim]

Update: Root Cause Found

Investigation:

• Specter Desktop currently uses hwi==2.4.0 (from requirements.txt)
• BitBox02 Nova support was added in HWI 3.2.0 (released Feb 10, 2026 per https://github.com/bitcoin-core/HWI/releases)

Conclusion:
The BitBox02 Nova is not detected because Specter HWI version (2.4.0) does not include Nova support. The fix is straightforward: upgrade HWI to version 3.2.0 or later.

Recommendation:
Update requirements.txt from hwi==2.4.0 to hwi>=3.2.0 and test with a Nova device.

---

Follow-up on @k9ert's request to investigate.

[k9ert]

@al-munazzim Please research what potential hurdles exist to upgrade hwi to that version. Especially track dependency inconsistencies between specter and hwi. If there are contraditions with the dependencies, what is the best upgrade path to have a recent HWI version in specter?