ESP32-S3-WROOM-1U not booting without USB D+ and D-

[ba1azs]

Hello everyone! I have an ESP32-S3-WROOM-1U circuit. It receives power from a laptop via USB-C through a buck-boost converter. There are a few sensors communicating via the I2C protocol, and a GPIO output on pin 12 that I can toggle. I can upload the sketch without any issues using the Arduino IDE, and I can see the printed messages in the serial monitor.

Test 1: Switch on GPIO output on pin 12. The circuit works perfectly even if the USB D+ and D- pins are desoldered from the circuit (like powering from a power bank).

Test 2: Switch on the GPIO output on pin 12 and scanning for sensors via I2C. If the USB D+ and D- pins are soldered, the circuit works perfectly. However, if the USB D+ and D- pins are not soldered, the ESP32-S3-WROOM-1U seems to not boot properly, consuming only 29.3 mA, and GPIO19 is not pulled high.

So, if I power the circuit from a power bank, it doesn't work because the USB D+ and D- pins are not connected. What could be the problem/solution?

Why could this be happening? What does the USB D+ and D- pins have to do with the boot process?

Thank you!