Zephyr 2.9 MCUboot image configuration

[GabrielDS]

Our system is composed of a nrf5340, a QSPI flash, and a nrf7002 on single wire SPI. We are not using the network processor.

We are using Zephyr NCS 2.9 with sysbuild.  We desire to use the http download client integrated with the dfu multi image tool.

The core of the issue is that we cannot convince the build tool to create a 4 image update package.

SB_CONFIG_BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT=y
#SB_CONFIG_SECURE_BOOT_NETCORE=y
SB_CONFIG_NETCORE_EMPTY=y
#SB_CONFIG_NETCORE_NONE=y


# nRF7002 setup configurations
SB_CONFIG_WIFI_NRF70=y
SB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_STORE=y
#SB_CONFIG_WIFI_PATCHES_EXT_FLASH_XIP=y


SB_CONFIG_WIFI_NRF70_SYSTEM_MODE=y




# Multi-image needed for 5340 app and net core
# 3 images for app core, net core, WiFi patch, and XIP
SB_CONFIG_NETCORE_APP_UPDATE=y
SB_CONFIG_MCUBOOT_UPDATEABLE_IMAGES=4



SB_CONFIG_PARTITION_MANAGER=y
SB_CONFIG_PM_MCUBOOT_PAD=0x200

# XIP settings to enable split image where app code runs
# out of internal flash and QSPI
SB_CONFIG_PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY=y
SB_CONFIG_QSPI_XIP_SPLIT_IMAGE=y
SB_CONFIG_MCUBOOT_MODE_OVERWRITE_ONLY=y

sysbuild.conf is above.  You can see some of the settings I've tried.

pm_static.yml for reference:

app:
  address: 0x10200
  end_address: 0x100000
  region: flash_primary
  size: 0xefe00
external_flash:
  address: 0x130000
  device: MX25R64
  end_address: 0x800000
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x6D0000

mcuboot:
  address: 0x0
  end_address: 0x10000
  region: flash_primary
  size: 0x10000
mcuboot_pad:
  address: 0x10000
  end_address: 0x10200
  region: flash_primary
  size: 0x200
mcuboot_primary:
  address: 0x10000
  end_address: 0x100000
  orig_span: &id001
  - mcuboot_pad
  - app
  region: flash_primary
  size: 0xf0000
  span: *id001
mcuboot_primary_1: #missing
  address: 0x0
  device: flash_ctrl
  end_address: 0x40000
  region: ram_flash
  size: 0x40000
mcuboot_primary_app:
  address: 0x10200
  end_address: 0x100000
  orig_span: &id002
  - app
  region: flash_primary
  size: 0xefe00
  span: *id002
mcuboot_secondary:
  address: 0x0
  device: MX25R64
  end_address: 0xF0000
  region: external_flash
  size: 0xF0000
mcuboot_secondary_1:
  address: 0xF0000
  device: MX25R64
  end_address: 0x130000
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x40000
mcuboot_primary_2:
  address: 0x130000
  device: MX25R64
  end_address: 0x230000
  orig_span: &id003
    - mcuboot_primary_2_pad
    - mcuboot_primary_2_app
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x100000
  span: *id003
mcuboot_primary_2_pad:
  address: 0x230000
  end_address: 0x230200
  region: external_flash
  device: MX25R64
  size: 0x200
mcuboot_primary_2_app:
  address: 0x230200
  end_address: 0x330000
  device: MX25R64
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x0FFE00
mcuboot_secondary_2:
  address: 0x230000
  device: MX25R64
  end_address: 0x330000
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x100000
nrf70_wifi_fw:
  address: 0x330000
  size: 0x20000
  device: MX25R64
  region: external_flash
littlefs_storage:
  address: 0x350000
  device: MX25R64
  end_address: 0x800000
  region: external_flash
  size: 0x4DB000

otp:
  address: 0xff8100
  end_address: 0xff83fc
  region: otp
  size: 0x2fc

pcd_sram:
  address: 0x20000000
  end_address: 0x20002000
  region: sram_primary
  size: 0x2000

ram_flash:
  address: 0x40000
  end_address: 0x40000
  region: ram_flash
  size: 0x0

rpmsg_nrf53_sram:
  address: 0x20070000
  end_address: 0x20080000
  placement:
    before:
    - end
  region: sram_primary
  size: 0x10000

sram_primary:
  address: 0x20002000
  end_address: 0x20070000
  region: sram_primary
  size: 0x6e000

In file included from C:/_DSGit/customer/external/zephyr/include/zephyr/toolchain.h:50,
from C:/_DSGit/customer/external/zephyr/include/zephyr/kernel_includes.h:23,
from C:/_DSGit/customer/external/zephyr/include/zephyr/kernel.h:17,
from C:/_DSGit/customer/external/zephyr/subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/img_mgmt/src/zephyr_img_mgmt.c:7:
C:/_DSGit/customer/external/zephyr/include/zephyr/toolchain/gcc.h:87:36: error: static assertion failed: "Missing partitions?"
87 | #define BUILD_ASSERT(EXPR, MSG...) _Static_assert((EXPR), "" MSG)
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C:/_DSGit/customer/external/zephyr/subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/img_mgmt/src/zephyr_img_mgmt.c:43:1: note: in expansion of macro 'BUILD_ASSERT'
43 | BUILD_ASSERT(FIXED_PARTITION_EXISTS(SLOT2_PARTITION) &&
| ^~~~~~~~~~~~

This ultimately tracks back to #define slot2_partition mcuboot_primary_1 in flash_map_pm.h which id not defined and noted as #missing in the pm_static.yml.  

mcuboot_primary_1 is not found anywhere in the build tree and is clearly in the pm_static.yaml.

If I rearrange some things and try to not build the net core at all:

It would appear some of the DFU tools don't support more than 3 images based on the kconfig errors.  (subsys/dfu/Kconfig and subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/img_mgmt/Kconfig)  subsys/mgmt/mcumgr/grp/img_mgmt/src/zephyr_img_mgmt.c also has thrown some build_asserts.

For reference, this is mcuboot.conf

# Disable image verification for MCUboot and set to 3 images
CONFIG_MCUBOOT_VERIFY_IMG_ADDRESS=n
CONFIG_UPDATEABLE_IMAGE_NUMBER=4

# Flash
CONFIG_FLASH=y
CONFIG_BOOT_ERASE_PROGRESSIVELY=y
CONFIG_SOC_FLASH_NRF_EMULATE_ONE_BYTE_WRITE_ACCESS=y
 #debug only
CONFIG_FPROTECT=n
CONFIG_BOOT_MAX_IMG_SECTORS=512

# Required by QSPI
CONFIG_NORDIC_QSPI_NOR=y
CONFIG_NORDIC_QSPI_NOR_FLASH_LAYOUT_PAGE_SIZE=4096
CONFIG_NORDIC_QSPI_NOR_STACK_WRITE_BUFFER_SIZE=16
CONFIG_MULTITHREADING=y

# Decrease memory footprint
CONFIG_CBPRINTF_NANO=y
CONFIG_RESET_ON_FATAL_ERROR=n

# The following configurations are required to support simultaneous multi image update
CONFIG_PCD_APP=y
CONFIG_BOOT_UPGRADE_ONLY=y

# The network core cannot access external flash directly. The flash simulator must be used to
# provide a memory region that is used to forward the new firmware to the network core.
CONFIG_FLASH_SIMULATOR=y
CONFIG_FLASH_SIMULATOR_DOUBLE_WRITES=y
CONFIG_FLASH_SIMULATOR_STATS=n

# Enable custom command to erase settings partition.
CONFIG_ENABLE_MGMT_PERUSER=y
#SB 2.9 doens't like this
#CONFIG_MCUBOOT_SERIAL=y
CONFIG_BOOT_MGMT_CUSTOM_STORAGE_ERASE=y
CONFIG_MCUBOOT_SERIAL=y
CONFIG_UART_CONSOLE=n
CONFIG_ADD_MCUBOOT_MEDIATE_SIM_FLASH_DTS=y 

#CONFIG_LOG_DEFAULT_LEVEL=3
#CONFIG_MCUBOOT_LOG_LEVEL_DBG=y

#mcu boot led
CONFIG_MCUBOOT_INDICATION_LED=y

#################
# DEBUG TEST ONLY
#################

I get these build warnings, but it does complete:

warning: I2C (defined at boards/shields\sparkfun_carrier_asset_tracker\Kconfig.defconfig:15,
drivers/i2c/Kconfig:9) was assigned the value 'n' but got the value 'y'. See
docs.zephyrproject.org/.../kconfig.html and/or look up I2C in the
menuconfig/guiconfig interface. The Application Development Primer, Setting Configuration Values,
and Kconfig - Tips and Best Practices sections of the manual might be helpful too.

warning: ADD_MCUBOOT_MEDIATE_SIM_FLASH_DTS (defined at C:/_DSGit/customer
/external/nrf/modules/mcuboot/Kconfig:127) was assigned the value 'y' but got the
value 'n'. Check these unsatisfied dependencies: BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT (=n). See
docs.zephyrproject.org/.../kconfig.html and/or
look up ADD_MCUBOOT_MEDIATE_SIM_FLASH_DTS in the menuconfig/guiconfig interface. The Application
Development Primer, Setting Configuration Values, and Kconfig - Tips and Best Practices sections of
the manual might be helpful too.

warning: FLASH_SIMULATOR (defined at drivers/flash/Kconfig.simulator:6) was assigned the value 'y'
but got the value 'n'. Check these unsatisfied dependencies: DT_HAS_ZEPHYR_SIM_FLASH_ENABLED (=n).
See docs.zephyrproject.org/.../kconfig.html and/or look up
FLASH_SIMULATOR in the menuconfig/guiconfig interface. The Application Development Primer, Setting
Configuration Values, and Kconfig - Tips and Best Practices sections of the manual might be helpful
too.

warning: FLASH_SIMULATOR_DOUBLE_WRITES (defined at drivers/flash/Kconfig.simulator:42) was assigned
the value 'y' but got the value 'n'. Check these unsatisfied dependencies: FLASH_SIMULATOR (=n). See
docs.zephyrproject.org/.../kconfig.html and/or look
up FLASH_SIMULATOR_DOUBLE_WRITES in the menuconfig/guiconfig interface. The Application Development
Primer, Setting Configuration Values, and Kconfig - Tips and Best Practices sections of the manual
might be helpful too.

I tried CONFIG_ADD_MCUBOOT_MEDIATE_SIM_FLASH_DTS=y in prj.conf too, didn't help.

--

In short, we need to support 3 or 4 images, internal flash app, maybe internal flash net core, qspi flash app, nrf7002 patches.

Another option I tried was making the nrf7002 patches XIP loadable, but that didn't get me anywhere.

Thanks,

Gabriel

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

Please check out this course https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/nrf-connect-sdk-intermediate/lessons/lesson-9-bootloaders-and-dfu-fota/topic/exercise-3-dfu-with-external-flash/ 

Regards,
Amanda H.

[GabrielDS]

Hi Amanda,

Our configuration is far more complicated than the lesson illustrates.

Please review the problem and our results again and provide specific guidance on how to manage the various images and configuration required: We need to support 3 or 4 images, internal flash app, maybe internal flash net core, qspi flash app, nrf7002 patches.

Thanks,

Gabriel

[Amanda Hsieh]

Hi, 

GabrielDS said:

how to manage the various images and configuration required: We need to support 3 or 4 images, internal flash app, maybe internal flash net core, qspi flash app, nrf7002 patches.

You can refer to Using QSPI XIP split image and nRF5340: SMP Server with external XIP for Swap using move with network core support setting (the default setting in the project).

Our system is composed of a nrf5340, a QSPI flash, and a nrf7002 on single wire SPI

Building for nrf5340dk/nrf5340/cpuapp with -DSHIELD=nrf7002ek might be close to your HW. 

If you also want to get the image for the nrf7002 patches, disable SB_CONFIG_QSPI_XIP_SPLIT_IMAGE and build with your pm_static.yml. 

-Amanda H.