From Thingy53 to custom board

[danny0007]

Hi community,

I`m trying to develop a custom board with nRF5340, now comes the question how to flash it?

The application was developed with the Thingy53. On Thingy53 the bootloader mode is activated by cycling the power during press the button SW2(P1.14).

we also want to use another pin for activating the bootloader mode, therefore we also need to customize the bootloader.

so my questions are: 

1. how to customize/develop the bootloader?

2. Is it possible to use another pin for activating the bootloader mode?

3. how to flash the custom bootloader?

Thanks in advance

Danny

[danny0007]

Hi AHaug,

thanks for replying me.

I go throgh the lessons again, It´s more about DFU. not about how to flash the Bootloader in a empty nRF5340.

My understanding is like this, please correct me, if I´m wrong.

The MCUboot(Bootloader) will be  automatically compiled if CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT=y is set in the project conf file. 

the Bootload can be found under project_name\build\mcuboot\zephyr\zephyr.hex

I tried to use the Programmer from nRF Connect for Desktop to flash this hex file inito thingy53, but failed as followed:

11:33:15.271

Error: Failed with exit code 1. One or more program tasks failed. Message: Failed, [mcuBoot] Unable to parse MCUBoot image file. Unable to parse image header: invalid magic value.

11:33:15.271

MCUboot DFU failed with error: Error: Failed with exit code 1. One or more program tasks failed. Message: Failed, [mcuBoot] Unable to parse MCUBoot image file. Unable to parse image header: invalid magic value.

11:33:15.271

Error: Failed with exit code 1. One or more program tasks failed. Message: Failed, [mcuBoot] Unable to parse MCUBoot image file. Unable to parse image header: invalid magic value.

In the Exercise 2 of Lesson 8, 

Until here not explained what is built and flashed? If only the Application, then it´s also not what i`m looking for. 

Again, I want to know how to flash the Bootloader in an empty nRF5340.

[AHaug]

danny0007 said:

The MCUboot(Bootloader) will be  automatically compiled if CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT=y is set in the project conf file. 

This is correct, for multi image builds such as a build including MCUboot/bootloader and an app, you must also make sure that you meet the conditions mentioned in the multi-image builds documentation as well as this one specifically mentioned for the nrf5340.

Do note that there will be changes w.r.t the parent/child support in upstream Zephyr so there might be some changes when sysbuild is introduced in 2.7.0/later releases of NCS.

danny0007 said:

the Bootload can be found under project_name\build\mcuboot\zephyr\zephyr.hex

This is also correct

danny0007 said:

I tried to use the Programmer from nRF Connect for Desktop to flash this hex file inito thingy53, but failed as followed

I assume that you've seen the working with the Thingy:53, but in case you haven't here's another two link that you should have a look at https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.7.0-rc2/page/nrf/device_guides/nrf53/thingy53_application_guide.html and https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.7.0-rc2/page/nrf/gsg_guides/thingy53_gs.html 

Are you following this guide when programming the bootloader through nRF Connect for Desktop? https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.7.0-rc2/page/nrf/gsg_guides/thingy53_gs.html#getting_started_with_precompiled_firmware_samples 

danny0007 said:

Until here not explained what is built and flashed?

Thats right. When building all of the components are built as a default to ensure that versions and signings are matching. You can choose to set up the build system/configure your project so that you only build MCUboot or the application, but then you will have to manually sign all of the images with the same key to ensure that they are compatible with each other.

danny0007 said:

Again, I want to know how to flash the Bootloader in an empty nRF5340.

Could you try using nrfjprog -f NRF53 --sectorerase --program mcuboot/zephyr/zephyr.hex --verify on a DK if you have one available to verify that this works on the 53 DK and then try to use this command on the Thingy through the DK?

Kind regards,
Andreas

[danny0007]

Hi Andreas,

thanks for replying me.

my application is developed on Thingy53, the most functionalities I need are working. 

SPI/I2C, sensors, DFU through USB with Programmer from nRF Connect for Desktop, DFU through BLE...that means I have no problem with updating of the normal Applications. Everything is working fine. Now I did my custom board and want to further the development on my custom board. the custom board is blank, without mcuboot/bootloader. How to put it in bootloader mode? before I can flash the application through USB. 

Let me ask the question in this way:
how to erase or replace or reflash the mcuboot/bootloader of Thingy53? because this is what I´m going to do for my custom board. 

Is it possible to do this only through the existed USB-C on Thingy53, as the way I flash normal applications through Programmer from nRF Connect for Desktop? or I need to use the SWD interface?  

Best regards

Danny

[danny0007]

By the way, I don´t have DK board, only Thingy53.

[danny0007]

I want to reflash the blue area, not the red and green area.

[danny0007]

Ok, I think I find the answer here: Does mcuboot have a mechanisms to update the bootloader itself? - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com)

then my question will be how can I do the very first flash for a blank nRF5340? 

[AHaug]

Hi,

danny0007 said:

Ok, I think I find the answer here: Does mcuboot have a mechanisms to update the bootloader itself? - Nordic Q&A - Nordic DevZone - Nordic DevZone (nordicsemi.com)

I'm not quite sure this answers what you're asking since this is simply the procedure for how to update the bootloader and not how to program it. In other words this is a different topic than programming the bootloader

danny0007 said:

then my question will be how can I do the very first flash for a blank nRF5340? 

danny0007 said:

I want to reflash the blue area, not the red and green area.

This is explained in the links I've sent you in my previous replies. Copy pasting what I previously wrote once more:

I assume that you've seen the working with the Thingy:53, but in case you haven't here's another two link that you should have a look at https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.7.0-rc2/page/nrf/device_guides/nrf53/thingy53_application_guide.html and https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.7.0-rc2/page/nrf/gsg_guides/thingy53_gs.html 

Are you following this guide when programming the bootloader through nRF Connect for Desktop? https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-2.7.0-rc2/page/nrf/gsg_guides/thingy53_gs.html#getting_started_with_precompiled_firmware_samples 

Could you try using nrfjprog -f NRF53 --sectorerase --program mcuboot/zephyr/zephyr.hex --verify.

Kind regards,
Andreas