Size of build image for mcuboot with serial or usb DFU enabled?

[BrianW]

Working on a nrf5340 project, and running into limits of the size of the flash to store my application image along with mcuboot bootloader.

I had a mucboot setup that fitted into 56Kb (signed images, secondary slot on external flash). This did NOT include the serial DFU however, and (of course) one of my first units out in the field got bricked during a DFU (using dfu_target lib to update the secondary slot from a file loaded on USB FAT FS mounted on the external flash... not yet got the unit to see what got corrupted...)

I expose the USB interface, so would like to enable the serial DFU functionality in mcuboot so that at least I have a method to DFU even if my main app image gets corrupted...Some questions to get this to work:

1/ The buttons on the device are via a gpio expander on the i2c interface, it seems mcuboot likes a 'dfu button' to be a direct gpio (at least if I set the alias:

mcuboot-button0 = &button2;

then it doesn't build because button2 is 

button2: button_2 {

            gpios = <&ioexp0 4 (GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW)>;    // GPA4

). Is this correct or should it work via a ioexpander?

BTW This is not a deal breaker as I see I can have a 'DFU delay' at boot to always check if the dfu is to be activated on the serial/USB

2/ serial DFU (virtual com port on USB) vs USB DFU : which is better to use? Which gives me a smaller mcuboot image?

3/ Image size : mcuboot with DFU_USB is now 76+Kb

Is this normal? Are there ways to slim this down? also, the mcuboot child_image build has its own mcuboot.conf - does this addon to the usual prj.conf, or replace it completely?

The image size is an issue because my main app uses https over wifi networking (nrf7002) and the wifi code+networking+TLS takes up a LOT of space....

thanks for any tips to get a solid mcuboot in the least flash space!

[AHaug]

Hi,

Which version of nRF Connect SDK are you using?

1/ The buttons on the device are via a gpio expander on the i2c interface, it seems mcuboot likes a 'dfu button' to be a direct gpio (at least if I set the alias:

mcuboot-button0 = &button2;

then it doesn't build because button2 is 

button2: button_2 {

            gpios = <&ioexp0 4 (GPIO_ACTIVE_LOW)>;    // GPA4

). Is this correct or should it work via a ioexpander?

I will have to look closer into this.

2/ serial DFU (virtual com port on USB) vs USB DFU : which is better to use? Which gives me a smaller mcuboot image?

Which is better to use: That depends on the design of your product. W.r.t to size you would have to build your project for either configurations and see the build results.

3/ Image size : mcuboot with DFU_USB is now 76+Kb

Is this normal?

If you've done optimizations, then that might be the default size, yes. Without DFU_USB MCUboot defaults to 48kB, but can be shrunk depending on what features you need.

Are there ways to slim this down?

The optimization page here might give you some more information w.r.t shrinking the size of the bootloader: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/test_and_optimize.html 

In addition you can have a look at the minimal mcuboot confiugration such as discussed here in the Matter applications: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/protocols/matter/end_product/bootloader.html 

also, the mcuboot child_image build has its own mcuboot.conf - does this addon to the usual prj.conf, or replace it completely?

If my understanding is correct it adds configurations that are just defined for said child image (MCUboot in this case).

The image size is an issue because my main app uses https over wifi networking (nrf7002) and the wifi code+networking+TLS takes up a LOT of space....

The optimization links as well as this https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/app_dev/device_guides/nrf70/fw_patches_ext_flash.html and to use external flash for general DFU (which I assume you already do) is hopefully a good starting place, but let me know if you have any more specific questions.

Kind regards,
Andreas

[BrianW]

AHaug said:

Which version of nRF Connect SDK are you using?

2.6.x

AHaug said:

2/ serial DFU (virtual com port on USB) vs USB DFU : which is better to use? Which gives me a smaller mcuboot image?

Which is better to use: That depends on the design of your product. W.r.t to size you would have to build your project for either configurations and see the build results.

Yes, I was rather hoping for some experience rather than having to explore all the possible options myself... But hving tried the 'USB DFU' option, I have decided against, as it requires installing the WinUSB driver for the device to let dfu-util see it, but this then breaks the USB FS operation (at least on my PC)...

Trying serial DFU, but it doesn't like my dfu zip it seems: 

This is the zip created directly by the west build. Any idea what it is objecting to?

AHaug said:

In addition you can have a look at the minimal mcuboot confiugration such as discussed here in the Matter applications: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/protocols/matter/end_product/bootloader.html

This claims you can get down to 24kB. I have managed to reduce the basic mcuboot to about 40kB, but with the serial loader option it is still up at over 64kB... 

AHaug said:

The optimization links as well as this https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/app_dev/device_guides/nrf70/fw_patches_ext_flash.html and to use external flash for general DFU (which I assume you already do) is hopefully a good starting place, but let me know if you have any more specific questions.

Yes, my DFU secondary slots are in the external flash already.

I will need to try to "nrf7002 firmware in external flash" option, even if it looks complex, as that will save 64kB I guess.

I have switched to tinyCrypt instead of mbedtls, which seems to save some 30kB or so. However, I haven't managed (with either) to get a TLS connection (for https) to work yet... what are the impacts of using tinyCrypt?

[BrianW]

Great! I confirm it builds to around 56kB for me, without logs, using 2.9.0 with the depreciated multi-image build system (no-sysbuild). It boots the app image ok which is a big step forwards.

I will try this now building with sysbuild...

thanks

[BrianW]

Oh, and when I hold down the defined button during boot, it starts the USB virtual comm ports. Haven't tried to run mcumgr yet, but thats the next step!

[BrianW]

So, I applied the config to my test build using nrf70 wifi with the DFU images in the external flash... It built under multi-image system, but not with sysbuild (due to the 'hack' for the cpu-net primary slot it seems).

If you have any insights for sysbuild, the ticket is here:

 (Missing Forum Thread) 

thanks!. 

[AHaug]

Great! It sounds like we've resolved the issue with reducing the size of MCUboot in this case.

BrianW said:

I will try this now building with sysbuild...

I assume you refer to your sample with sysbuild specific, since the sample I supplied builds with sysbuild as a default, but I'm glad to hear you were able test it with the child/parent setup.

I will have a look at your other case and give you a reply there shortly

Kind regards,
Andreas

[BrianW]

AHaug said:

I assume you refer to your sample with sysbuild specific, since the sample I supplied builds with sysbuild as a default, but I'm glad to hear you were able test it with the child/parent setup.

yes, it has an issue with definition of the PRIMARY_1 slot for the CPU-NET DFU when built with sysbuild.