nrf7002dk - region `FLASH' overflowed

[Candela]

Hi,

I am trying to create a Wi-Fi application on nrf7002dk using SMP over Bluetooth LE for Firmware Updates, but I get a "region 'FLASH' overflowed" error when I try to build the project:

[1/11] Linking C executable zephyr\zephyr_pre0.elf
FAILED: zephyr/zephyr_pre0.elf zephyr/zephyr_pre0.map 
c:/nordicsemi/toolchains/v2.3.0/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/../lib/gcc/arm-zephyr-eabi/12.1.0/../../../../arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/ld.exe: zephyr\zephyr_pre0.elf section `rodata' will not fit in region `FLASH'
c:/nordicsemi/toolchains/v2.3.0/opt/zephyr-sdk/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/../lib/gcc/arm-zephyr-eabi/12.1.0/../../../../arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/ld.exe: region `FLASH' overflowed by 1424 bytes
collect2.exe: error: ld returned 1 exit status
ninja: build stopped: subcommand failed.
[115/263] Building C object modules/hal_nordic/nrfx/CMakeFiles/modules__hal_nordic__nrfx.dir/C_/nordicsemi/v2.3.0/modules/hal/nordic/nrfx/drivers/src/nrfx_gpiote.c.obj
FAILED: modules/mcuboot/mcuboot_subimage-prefix/src/mcuboot_subimage-stamp/mcuboot_subimage-build mcuboot/zephyr/zephyr.hex mcuboot/zephyr/zephyr.elf 

Is there any option to reduce the project's size? I have already disabled the debug options.

Regards,

Candela

[AHaug]

Hi,

A few general thoughts and tips is the following

• First steps would be to disable debug, which you've mentioned and logging.
• The second step is to investigate  Debunking misconceptions: A technical analysis of nRF5 SDK and nRF Connect SDK to see if there are anything you can use from this blog in your project to reduce its footprint
• The third thing is to have a look at the nRF Machine learning sample to see how this application has optimized MCUboot w.r.t. memory

 Could you also provide me with a memory report of your project? Either use the built in extension in VS Code or navigate to '<application location>/build' in command line and use 'nrfjprog partition_manager_report`?

Kind regards,
Andreas

[Candela]

Hi Andreas,

After following the proposals on the blog to reduce the footprint, and adding some settings from the nRF Machine learning sample, I still have the same problem...

I'm attaching the Memory reports of my project before enabling the Bootloader configuration. Once I add it, I get the Flash overflowed.

ROM Memory report:

RAM Memory report:

Partitions Memory report:

Best regards,

Candela

[AHaug]

Hi Candela,

Thank you for providing this information. Just a heads up that I will be out of office for the few weeks, but this case will be handled by my colleague while I'm out of office. You will hear from them shortly w.r.t. what to do next!

Kind regards,
Andreas

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Hi,

I will continue to help with this case.

Can you upload your full build log as a .txt file?

Are you able to reproduce the issue if you add MCUboot to any of our samples?

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[Candela]

Hi Sigurd,

I'm attaching the complete build log with the Flash overflowed error, you can find it on this link

On the other hand, yes, I can reproduce the issue adding these three configurations to the smp_svr sample:

CONFIG_WIFI=y
CONFIG_WIFI_NRF700X=y
CONFIG_WPA_SUPP=y

Best regards,

Candela

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Hi,

Enabling an SMP Server will split your available flash into two, effectively reducing available flash by half.
This is likely why you experience flash limitation errors.

To solve this, you got two options:

1. Reduce/optimize flash usage. See Memory footprint optimization, and disable features you do not need.
2. Add external flash. See External flash memory partitions. Remember to add this for the mcuboot child image as well

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[Candela]

Hi,

I followed your recommendations, optimizing flash usage and using an external flash, and I got to reduce significativelly the flash usage. Nevertheless, I still have questions on how to add the mcuboot child image on the external flash. By now, I have used the partition manager to set the mcuboot_secondary region into the external flash, but I still have no enough space for the bootloader and the application on the primary flash. Do I need to move any other region to the external flash?

I am attaching the output partition manager report.

  external_flash (0x800000 - 8192kB):
+---------------------------------------------+
| 0x0: mcuboot_secondary (0xf4000 - 976kB)    |
| 0xf4000: external_flash (0x70c000 - 7216kB) |
+---------------------------------------------+

  flash_primary (0x100000 - 1024kB):
+-------------------------------------------------+
| 0x0: mcuboot (0xc000 - 48kB)                    |
+---0xc000: mcuboot_primary (0xf4000 - 976kB)-----+
| 0xc000: mcuboot_pad (0x200 - 512B)              |
+---0xc200: mcuboot_primary_app (0xf3e00 - 975kB)-+
| 0xc200: app (0xf3e00 - 975kB)                   |
+-------------------------------------------------+

  otp (0x2fc - 764B):
+------------------------------+
| 0xff8100: otp (0x2fc - 764B) |
+------------------------------+

  sram_primary (0x80000 - 512kB):
+-----------------------------------------------+
| 0x20000000: pcd_sram (0x2000 - 8kB)           |
| 0x20002000: sram_primary (0x6e000 - 440kB)    |
| 0x20070000: rpmsg_nrf53_sram (0x10000 - 64kB) |
+-----------------------------------------------+

 CPUNET flash_primary (0x40000 - 256kB):
+--------------------------------------------+
+---0x1000000: b0n_container (0x8800 - 34kB)-+
| 0x1000000: b0n (0x8580 - 33kB)             |
| 0x1008580: provision (0x280 - 640B)        |
+---0x1008800: app (0x37800 - 222kB)---------+
| 0x1008800: hci_rpmsg (0x37800 - 222kB)     |
+--------------------------------------------+

 CPUNET sram_primary (0x10000 - 64kB):
+-------------------------------------------+
| 0x21000000: sram_primary (0x10000 - 64kB) |
+-------------------------------------------+

Thanks!

Candela

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Candela said:

but I still have no enough space for the bootloader and the application on the primary flash.

Can you post the build log showing this?