Bricked PCA10056 52840 DK

[fe7565]

I have a  PCA10056 (nRF52840 DK) and while programming it with a UART example from the nRF5_SDK_17.1.0_ddde560 using Segger Embedded Studio for Arm  5.42a, it will not show up on the COM anymore in Windows. 

I do a RESET hold and power of/on and then LED5 flashes green, but only if I plug the USB in from the long side of the board (which suppsoed to be the USB application port).  If I plug in from the short side in the USB, I do not get LED5  to come on, even if I do a RESET and hold off/on.  If I plug one USB cable in the long end and do the RESET off/on to start LED5 flash green...and also plug in another USB cable in the short side USB port... then when I unplug the USB cable on re long side, the LED5 remains fleshing.

When I do the RESET and power off/on, the BOOTLOADER mass storage shows up for a few seconds.  I tired to drop previously good hex apps on it, but it does not have enough space, shows only 108KB of 128KB free.  So I cannot drop the 1MB  j-link-ob-sam3u128-v2-nordicsemi-170724.bin on it, not any hex files that are more than 100KB.  Also, the mass storage only stays active for a few seconds then disappears on its own while making the Windows sound of a USB port disconnect.  I cannot see any devices in NRF Connect for Desktop (latest version) Programmer and  Quick Start.  

When I connect the J-Link Mini-Edu to the DK board's SWIO, SWCLK, GND, and separate 3-5V V-in, I can see a J-link device in Desktop Programmer and Quick Start.  But, the Programmer cannot identify it.  It says I should do a full erase to free up the protected memory. When I try a full erase, it says it's protected and will not let me do it. 

I checked out these guides, but no avail.  I have not yet done a njprog- erase on comand line tool, I would need some guidance on that.  Or if I should use any other J-LINK programs/terminals..  Segger Studio also did not show any options to use for J-Link Connect and shows no COM ports.  

Rebooted the laptop, and other MCU boards work, like an Nrf52840 dongle (PCA10059). 

 nRf52840 unseen under Device Manager. How to restore? 

 factory reset nrf52-dk 

[fe7565]

The files inside the USB mass storage that appears in Windows for a few seconds when doing a RESET:

-fseventsd         (yellow folder)

.metadata_never_index

.Trashes

bootload.htm

[Priyanka]

Hi Tom,

Could you tell me the revision on your DK? (white sticker on DK)

When you connect the J2 USB and normally switch on the DK, is it being detected ?

If you have any other DK could you please try flashing the problematic DK using that, or if you have any other debugger, could you try flashing your DK using that? This will help us isolate the issue to the Debug chip.

Regards,

Priyanka

[fe7565]

Thank you for the reply.  The sticker says PCA10056  /   2.0.1   /  2020.20  /  683880610.

When I connect the J2 USB port (long side) of the PCA10056 DK to my Windows laptop and turn on POWER on the board, nothing happens. No LEDs, no sign of any device in Windows and in nRF Connect Desktop -> Programmer 4.2.2. 

If I disconnect the board, leave the POWER switch ON and hold down the IF BOOT/RESET button while reconnecting the J2 USB...then the LED5 starts flashing, and BOOTLOADER mass storage device shows up in Windows (with 108KB of 128KB free). It does not show up in nRF Connect Desktop -> Programmer.   And after about 30 seconds the BOOTLOADER mass storage device disappears on its own, while LED5 remains flashing on the board.

I have a nRF5340 DK, PCA 10095, 2.0.0., 2022.4 and several nRF52840 PCA10059 dongles.  I also have the J-Link Edu Mini. 

It's a bit late here tonight, but if you could describe how to flash the PCA10056 with the PCA 10095 or with the J-Link Edu Mini, I will do that tomorrow. 

EDIT:  when I connect the J-Link EDU Mini to SWD CLK/IO/GND/V-in pins on the PCA10056 DK and I open Programmer 4.2.2., J-link shows up as device, and the Programmer is trying to read the DK memory, but get this error message in red color:

• Failed "reading readback protection status for application core". Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, [Probe] Device error: Failed to write DebugPort register 2: Unknown Error in J-Link DLL (error code =-1)

• Error: Failed with exit code 1. One or more batch tasks failed: - [Probe] Device error: Failed to write DebugPort register 2: Unknown Error in J-Link DLL (error code =-1), code: Generic. Message: Batch task protection-get failed, [Probe] Device error: Failed to write DebugPort register 2: Unknown Error in J-Link DLL (error code =-1).

[fe7565]

Just checking if there are any developments suggestions on this.  Thank you.

[Priyanka]

Hi Tom,

Apologies for the delay. 

In order to flash the nRF52840SoC on the nRF52840-DK, you can use the 10-pin DebugIN port: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ug_nrf52840_dk/page/UG/dk/hw_debug_in_trace.html 

And connect this to the debugger SoC on the 5340DK using it's DebugOUT port: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ug_nrf5340_dk/page/UG/dk/ext_programming_support_P19.html 

-Priyanka

[fe7565]

I connected the 5340 DK with the 52840 DK in this way: RE: External programming Using nRF52-DK 

I am using the P20 method: devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../programming-custom-nrf5340-board-using-nrf5340-development-kit

But nRF Connect Desktop -> Programmer can see the 5340 DK board, and if I remove the VTG cable then it maps out the memory of the 5340DK. But when I re-connect (as it should be) the VTG cable, it says "core protection status is unknown...etc  "Press erase all button to recover protected memory"  . But in Programmer (nRF Connect Desktop)  if I try to "erase all", I get this red error message:

01:31:27.237 Failed "reading readback protection status for application core". Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, [Probe] Device error: Failed to write DebugPort register 2: Unknown Error in J-Link DLL (error code =-1

EDIT:  let me check again, because I connected the 5349DK SWDCLK and SDWIO from P20 with the P20 of the bricked 52840DK, and I believe those do not connect to the SOC. 

[Priyanka]

Hi Tom,

Did you try connecting as I had mentioned in my previous reply? Do you get issues then too?

-Priyanka