OTA Update with nrf52840DK rev. 3.0.1 vs. rev. 2.0.1

[RichardHdrd]

Hello Forum,

I have one working nrf52840DK rev. 2.0.1

I can use it to OTA-flash a BM833 (MAC:E419E134561C) in the following way (in Ubuntu Linux command line) with the prepared app_dfu_package.zip:

nrfjprog --recover

/usr/local/bin/nrfutil dfu ble -f -ic NRF52 -pkg /tmp/app_dfu_package.zip -p /dev/ttyACM1 -a E419E134561C

Now I'm using the same commands, the same app_dfu_package.zip BUT nrf52840DK rev. 3.0.1.

This renders in the program's output:

Flashing connectivity firmware...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3201, in call_cmd
    return subprocess.check_output(argstr, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, shell=True)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 415, in check_output
    return run(*popenargs, stdout=PIPE, timeout=timeout, check=True,
  File "/usr/lib/python3.8/subprocess.py", line 516, in run
    raise CalledProcessError(retcode, process.args,
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command 'nrfjprog --snr 1050239327 --program /usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex --family NRF52' returned non-zero exit status 52.

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/local/bin/nrfutil", line 33, in <module>
    sys.exit(load_entry_point('nrfutil==6.1.3', 'console_scripts', 'nrfutil')())
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/click/core.py", line 764, in __call__
    return self.main(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/click/core.py", line 717, in main
    rv = self.invoke(ctx)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/click/core.py", line 1137, in invoke
    return _process_result(sub_ctx.command.invoke(sub_ctx))
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/click/core.py", line 1137, in invoke
    return _process_result(sub_ctx.command.invoke(sub_ctx))
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/click/core.py", line 956, in invoke
    return ctx.invoke(self.callback, **ctx.params)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/click/core.py", line 555, in invoke
    return callback(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/nrfutil-6.1.3-py3.8.egg/nordicsemi/__main__.py", line 1172, in ble
    flasher.fw_flash()
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3166, in fw_flash
    self.program(hex_file)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3194, in program
    self.call_cmd(args)
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/wrapt/decorators.py", line 443, in _synchronized
    return wrapped(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3206, in call_cmd
    raise RuntimeError(f"{e.__str__()}\n{e.output}")
RuntimeError: Command 'nrfjprog --snr 1050239327 --program /usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex --family NRF52' returned non-zero exit status 52.
b'Parsing image file.\nERROR: The file specified is not a valid hex file, has data outside valid areas\nERROR: or does not have data in valid areas.\n'

What needs to be done to get the process to work with nrf52840DK rev. 3.0.1?

Best regards,

Richard

[AHaug]

Hi,

Rev 3.0.x of the nRF52840DK has 2 comports, but only one of them is 'available to the user'. Could you try to list the available ports with nrfjprog --com and try with the other one? It should be TTYACM0 or TTYACM2 instead of TTYACM1 which you've tried.

Here's how it looks on windows: The one on top is a rev. 3.0.0 version of the nRF52840DK, the bottom one is in this case a rev 1.0.0, but it should showcase the same as a rev. 2.0.0

Kind regards,
Andreas

[RichardHdrd]

Hello Andreas,

Thank you for responding. The available ttys from DK are /dev/ttyACM1 and /dev/ttyACM2.

I tried with /dev/ttyACM2, but the result remains the same.

Also, I'm quite sure that I use the correct ttyACM1, because flashing the bootloader via nrfjprog and using /dev/ttyACM1 works.

By the time, I also downloaded and installed the latest version of nrfutil and nrf5sdk-tools here:

https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-tools/nrf-util

But also this version renders the same problem (here the output with /dev/ttyACM2):

Flashing connectivity firmware...
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3207, in call_cmd
  File "subprocess.py", line 420, in check_output
  File "subprocess.py", line 524, in run
subprocess.CalledProcessError: Command 'nrfjprog --snr 1050239327 --program /tmp/_MEIwNqyRX/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex --family NRF52' returned non-zero exit status 52.

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "nordicsemi/__main__.py", line 1555, in <module>
  File "click/core.py", line 1137, in __call__
  File "click/core.py", line 1062, in main
  File "click/core.py", line 1668, in invoke
  File "click/core.py", line 1668, in invoke
  File "click/core.py", line 1404, in invoke
  File "click/core.py", line 763, in invoke
  File "nordicsemi/__main__.py", line 1182, in ble
  File "pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3172, in fw_flash
  File "pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3200, in program
  File "wrapt/decorators.py", line 470, in _synchronized
  File "pc_ble_driver_py/ble_driver.py", line 3212, in call_cmd
RuntimeError: Command 'nrfjprog --snr 1050239327 --program /tmp/_MEIwNqyRX/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex --family NRF52' returned non-zero exit status 52.
b'Parsing image file.\nERROR: The file specified is not a valid hex file, has data outside valid areas\nERROR: or does not have data in valid areas.\n'
[35374] Failed to execute script '__main__' due to unhandled exception!

Best regards,

Richard

[AHaug]

Noted

I also see that I might have misunderstood your inquiry after rereading it. I will revisit the case in some more depth and come back with a reply as soon as possible. No later than the end of this working week

Kind regards,
Andreas

[RichardHdrd]

Hello Andreas,

I went further into investigation.

The relevant failure was:
RuntimeError: Command 'nrfjprog --snr 1050239327 --program /usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex --family NRF52' returned non-zero exit status 52.
b'Parsing image file.\nERROR: The file specified is not a valid hex file, has data outside valid areas\nERROR: or does not have data in valid areas.\n'

Now I tried the following:

1) Execute the line manually:

nrfjprog --recover

nrfjprog --snr 1050239327 --program /usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex --family NRF52

This rendered the same error from command line.

2) Perform the upload via nrfConnect (v. 4.1.1) --> Programmer (v. 3.0.8)

-> Select file: /usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex

Erase&Write

To my surprise, that upload to the new (3.0.1) nrf52840DK worked without complaints.

When issuing the original command, the nrfutil reported back:

>>Board already flashed with connectivity firmware.

And the DFU proceeded with success.

Now, I wouldn't care to add an extra scripted step, but of course, I cannot use the GUI from nrfConnect (v. 4.1.1) --> Programmer (v. 3.0.8)

So, the remaining question is: How can the upload-steps performed by nrfConnect (v. 4.1.1) --> Programmer (v. 3.0.8) be emulated in Ubuntu command line? Or how can nrfjprog be parametrised not-to-parse the image file?

Best regards,

Richard

[RichardHdrd]

Hi everyone,

following the given observations, the following workaround script is working for me:

#!/bin/bash

nrfjprog --recover
nrfjprog --family nRF52 --eraseall

cat << EOF | JLinkExe 
BEGIN;

device NRF52
SelectInterface SWD 
speed 4000
Connect
loadfile /usr/local/lib/python3.8/dist-packages/pc_ble_driver_py/hex/sd_api_v5/connectivity_4.1.4_1m_with_s132_5.1.0.hex
exit

END;
EOF

/usr/bin/sudo /usr/local/bin/nrfutil dfu ble -f -ic NRF52 -pkg /tmp/app_dfu_package.zip -p /dev/ttyACM1 -a F584C02766DD

This clears the DK, then uses JLinkExe to flash on the required hex image.

And, as detected before, the nrfutil then detects:

>>Board already flashed with connectivity firmware.

And after that continues flashing the firmware via DFU.

Thank you, Andreas, for trying to assist.

Best regards,

Richard