MCUboot spi-nor external flash

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 21:59:56 GMT

Could you use zephyr\samples\drivers\jesd216 to test the external flash can work as expected?

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

jju — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:01:03 GMT

Yes, here it is.devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../1220.peripheral_5F00_lbs.zip

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 19:12:02 GMT

Could you share the simple project?

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

jju — Thu, 09 Jan 2025 15:53:12 GMT

Yes, I have created a pm_static.yml file which is used.

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 21:04:11 GMT

Do you update the file with the same static partition? You can duplicate build/partitions.yml, place it in the app folder, and rename it to pm_static.yml to build.

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

jju — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 11:36:39 GMT

external_flash (0x80000 - 512kB):
+------------------------------------------+
| 0x0: mcuboot_secondary (0x6de00 - 439kB) |
| 0x6de00: external_flash (0x12200 - 72kB) |
+------------------------------------------+

flash_primary (0x80000 - 512kB):
+--------------------------------------------------+
| 0x0: mcuboot (0x10000 - 64kB) |
+---0x10000: mcuboot_primary (0x6e000 - 440kB)-----+
| 0x10000: mcuboot_pad (0x200 - 512B) |
+---0x10200: mcuboot_primary_app (0x6de00 - 439kB)-+
| 0x10200: app (0x6be00 - 431kB) |
| 0x7c000: settings_storage (0x2000 - 8kB) |
+--------------------------------------------------+
| 0x7e000: userstorage (0x2000 - 8kB) |
+--------------------------------------------------+

sram_primary (0x10000 - 64kB):
+-------------------------------------------+
| 0x20000000: sram_primary (0x10000 - 64kB) |
+-------------------------------------------+

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 19:44:13 GMT

I suspect your external flash setting is not correct. You can check the memory layout by executing "ninja partition_manager_report" under the build folder or generate a Memory report and provide the memory layout from the Partitions tab.

You should see the mcuboot_secondary located on the external memory or at least the external memory.

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

jju — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 21:08:03 GMT

Yes, I did put that line in the prj.conj for the main project, but not for the child_image project.

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 20:55:09 GMT

Hi,

Did you enable CONFIG_PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY in the prj.conf?

Could you provide the memory layout by executing "ninja partition_manager_report" under the build folder?

-Amanda H.

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

jju — Sat, 28 Dec 2024 14:31:19 GMT

Thank you.
I almost got it working now... :-)
But when I updated the fw using the NRFconnect App, I cannot update again, it seems that it complaint about there is not enough room for the image.
But it should erase the external flash, not try to fit another image into that region. ?

I get the error:
I: Image index: 0, Swap type: perm
E: Image upload inspect failed: 9

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:51:39 GMT

Hi,

The MCUboot secondary partition can then be placed in the external flash, increasing the available space for the application.

Please take a look at this DevAcademy course Lesson 8 – Bootloaders and DFU/FOTA for the OTA mechanism.

-Amanda H.

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

jju — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 08:52:09 GMT

I got the peripheral lbs sample working, but I think I need some clarification, since I maybe don't exactly understand, how the mechanism is when using external flash.

In my App I initialize all the BT (as the peripheral lbs) and then call smp_bt_register();.

In the overlay files for the App and MCUboot I enable the CONFIG_SPI_NOR stuff.

But what is is the OTA mechanism exactly ?

1. The App connects to bluetooth, and transfers the data using the SMP protocol to the external flash.

2. The MCU reboots, and the MCUboot copies the content from the external flash to the internal flash (App section).

3. The MCUboot (starts) jumps to the App start vector in internal flash.

Is my understanding correct ?

(Note, when I debug using jtag, it looks like MCUboot is trying to boot from the external flash? )

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:43:40 GMT

You can take a look at this course https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/nrf-connect-sdk-intermediate/lessons/lesson-8-bootloaders-and-dfu-fota/topic/exercise-3-fota-over-bluetooth-low-energy/

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

jju — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:25:04 GMT

Hi, thank you.
Now it builds. :-)
But when powered on, it writes *** Booting nRF Connect SDK v3.5.99-ncs1-1 *** forever on the uart output.
I'm not sure why, but it does not seem to advertise

RE: MCUboot spi-nor external flash

Amanda Hsieh — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:33:09 GMT

Hi,

See my colleague's example in this case.

Regards,
Amanda H.