nRF PPK2 "Failed to start PPK"

[Hans de Jong]

I've used this PPK2 since December last year, and on another machine (Linux Manjaro) it worked fine for all this time.

Now I want to use on a lab machine running Linux Manjaro and the PPK software fails to connect to the PPK2. The error message I get is "Failed to start PPK". I've tried different USB ports and cables, but no difference.

In the logs I get:

2023-07-07T09:57:56.604Z DEBUG Application data folder: /home/hans/.config/nrfconnect/pc-nrfconnect-ppk
2023-07-07T09:57:56.715Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-ppk v3.5.5 local
2023-07-07T09:57:56.715Z DEBUG App path: /home/hans/.nrfconnect-apps/node_modules/pc-nrfconnect-ppk
2023-07-07T09:57:56.715Z DEBUG nRFConnect 4.1.2, required by the app is (>=4.0.0)
2023-07-07T09:57:56.715Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: /tmp/.mount_nrfconcd1Oza/resources/app.asar
2023-07-07T09:57:56.715Z DEBUG HomeDir: /home/hans
2023-07-07T09:57:56.715Z DEBUG TmpDir: /tmp
2023-07-07T09:57:56.722Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib-js version: 0.6.12
2023-07-07T09:57:56.722Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.15.3
2023-07-07T09:57:56.722Z INFO Using nrfjprog DLL version: 10.19.1
2023-07-07T09:57:56.722Z INFO Using JLink version: JLink_V7.88k
2023-07-07T09:57:56.723Z INFO Installed JLink version does not match the provided version (V7.80c)
2023-07-07T09:57:57.150Z INFO Getting serialport options from persistent store E2204B17A9D8.pc-nrfconnect-ppk
2023-07-07T09:58:02.425Z INFO Validating firmware for device with s/n E2204B17A9D8
2023-07-07T09:58:02.430Z DEBUG Device has DFU trigger interface, the device is in Application mode
2023-07-07T09:58:02.432Z INFO Opening device with s/n E2204B17A9D8
2023-07-07T09:58:02.433Z ERROR Failed to start PPK
2023-07-07T09:58:02.433Z DEBUG Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'comName')

I've tried to remove the directory in .config and .nrfconnect-apps and retried again from fresh installation, but no difference.

Versions:

• nRF connect v4.1.2
• nRF PPK v3.5.5
• JLink (on system from Arch AUR) v7.88k
• OS: Manjaro, all packages last updated yesterday.
• Linux kernel 5.15.106-1-MANJARO

Unfortunately I do not have access to a Windows machine. Unfortunately nRF connect fails to render a GUI (blank screen) inside a Windows 10 VM.

[Hans de Jong]

Just to verify, some more info:

A PPK2 device does show up in the devices list, but it can't connect as it throws the "Failed to start PPK" error message.

If I open the Programmer app (or short TP34 to GND on power up of the PPK2 device) it does show up as a "Open DFU Bootloader" with serialno E2204B17A9D8. If I then try to connect in PPK app, it asks for the device to be programmed. I've attempted this numerous times but there does not appear to be happening anything (I've once had it sit for 10 minutes). The logs show only this:

2023-07-07T11:00:56.788Z INFO Getting serialport options from persistent store E2204B17A9D8.pc-nrfconnect-ppk
2023-07-07T11:00:59.419Z INFO Validating firmware for device with s/n E2204B17A9D8
2023-07-07T11:00:59.434Z DEBUG Device is in DFU-Bootloader, DFU is defined

Perhaps noteworthy is that I don't see any ttyACM device in /dev/ when the PPK2 gets connected. I've also tried the ppk2-api-python (https://github.com/IRNAS/ppk2-api-python), but that software is not enumerating any PPK2 devices.

When I open the device in the programmer app, I can select it and choose pca63100_ppk2_7453297.hex, but I'm not sure if this is the correct application file. But the programmer app doesn't allow me to program this HEX, as it shows "UNKNOWN_FAMILY" on the right-hand side of the file/device layouts.

Here is a system report:

# nRFConnect System Report - 2023-07-07T11-10-42.835Z

- System:     Dell Inc. Precision 3530
- BIOS:       Dell Inc. 1.7.4
- CPU:        1 x Intel Core™ i7-8750H 2.2 GHz 12 cores (6 physical)
- Memory:     6.1 GB free of 15.4 GB total
- Filesystem: /dev/nvme0n1p2 (ext4) 459.4 GB 62.9% used

- OS:         ManjaroLinux (23.0.0) linux x64

- Versions
    - kernel: 5.15.106-1-MANJARO
    - git: 2.40.1
    - node: 16.17.1
    - python: 3.11.3
    - python3: 3.11.3
    - nrf-device-lib-js: 0.6.12
    - nrf-device-lib: 0.15.3
    - nrfjprog DLL: 10.19.1
    - JLink: JLink_V7.88k

- Connected devices:
    - E2204B17A9D8 : undefined