mismatch partition number from pm.config and runtime flash_map_entries on nrf54L15dk/external NOR Flash

[Carlos]

Fullscreen 1106.pm.config Download

PM_APP_OFFSET=0x0
PM_APP_ADDRESS=0x0
PM_APP_END_ADDRESS=0x165000
PM_APP_SIZE=0x165000
PM_APP_NAME=app
PM_APP_ID=0
PM_app_ID=PM_APP_ID
PM_app_IS_ENABLED=1
PM_0_LABEL=APP
PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_OFFSET=0x0
PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_ADDRESS=0x0
PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_END_ADDRESS=0x800000
PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_SIZE=0x800000
PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_NAME=external_flash
PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_ID=1
PM_external_flash_ID=PM_EXTERNAL_FLASH_ID
PM_external_flash_IS_ENABLED=1
PM_1_LABEL=EXTERNAL_FLASH
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_OFFSET=0x0
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_ADDRESS=0x0
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_END_ADDRESS=0x800000
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_SIZE=0x800000
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_NAME=littlefs_storage
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_EXTRA_PARAM_disk_cache_size=4096
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_EXTRA_PARAM_disk_name=EXT_LFS
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_EXTRA_PARAM_disk_read_only=0
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_EXTRA_PARAM_disk_sector_size=512
PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_ID=2
PM_littlefs_storage_ID=PM_LITTLEFS_STORAGE_ID
PM_littlefs_storage_IS_ENABLED=1
PM_2_LABEL=LITTLEFS_STORAGE
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_OFFSET=0x0
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_ADDRESS=0x20000000
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_END_ADDRESS=0x2002f000
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_SIZE=0x2f000
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_NAME=sram_primary
PM_NUM=3
PM_ALL_BY_SIZE="sram_primary app external_flash littlefs_storage"
PM_FOREACH_AFFILIATED_TO_disk(fn)= fn(LITTLEFS_STORAGE)

my_flash_disk.zip

Hi,

The attached code is based on a sample code from NCS v2.9.1 and creates a LittleFS flash disk on external SPI NOR onboard nrf54L15DK.
There is a mismatch in the code, when flash_map_entries should be 3 but is set as 1, mismatching from PM_NUM = 3.

Please, help to understand why this mismatch.
Thanks in advance.

[Vidar Berg]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay. I do see there is a bug somewhere that prevents SPI NOR to be used with the flash disk driver when testing your sample project here, but I have not been able to figure out where yet. I will discuss this with the developers.

Best regards,

Vidar

[Carlos]

Hi Vidar,
Do you have any news about this issue? Any progress?
Thanks.

[Vidar Berg]

Please try to cherry pick the following two commits https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/pull/22473/commits. Also ensure that SB_CONFIG_PM_OVERRIDE_EXTERNAL_DRIVER_CHECK is enabled. This is required when not using the QSPI NOR driver (https://docs.nordicsemi.com/bundle/ncs-latest/page/nrf/releases_and_maturity/migration/migration_sysbuild.html#partition_manager).

[Carlos]

partition_manager_ncs_291.zipHi Vidor,
I've applied the patches in NCS v2.9.1 and sysbuild.conf with SB_CONFIG_PM_OVERRIDE_EXTERNAL_DRIVER_CHECK but it does not work.

The firmware compiles without any error but it does not run when debugging it.

It does not even start to run.
Please, verify it your own.

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Hi Carlos,

I will continue to help with this ticket.

There are multiple ways to apply the patch, but here is how I did it:

cd ncs/v2.9.1/nrf
wget https://patch-diff.githubusercontent.com/raw/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/pull/22473.patch
git apply 22473.patch

[Carlos]

Hi Sigurd.

I applied the patch, after uninstalling and re-installing ncs v2.9.1. I double check the changes and they're OK.

After compiling the project without any error, I;m not being capable of debugging the app, it is not even running.

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Can you try to flash without debugging?

[Carlos]

Yes, I just flashed without debugging but I see it is not working with nrf54l15dk.
I compiled the same project for nrf52840dk, and surprinsingly it works.
I have verifed both configurations and can not find any issue that could explain this behavior after applying the patch.
The project is attached here, may be you can find any issue that explain it.

3051.my_flash_disk.zip

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

The delay in answering here is due to limited staff during this period. I will try to get back to you in two or three weeks. Sorry for the inconvenience. 

[Carlos]

Thank you Sigurd. Looking foward to hearing from you asap. Meanwhile, I'm getting other issues too.

[Hieu]

Hi Carlos,

I checked your project today and would like to confirm if I am seeing the same thing you do, or if there is something wrong here.

On the nRF54L15 DK, the application would quickly hard fault with this log:

*** Booting nRF Connect SDK v2.9.1-60d0d6c8d42d ***
*** Using Zephyr OS v3.7.99-ca954a6216c9 ***
Erasing flash area ...  [00:00:00.430,732] <err> os: ***** BUS FAULT *****
 [00:00:00.430,737] <err> os:   Precise data bus error
 [00:00:00.430,742] <err> os:   BFAR Address: 0x40480000
 [00:00:00.430,753] <err> os: r0/a1:  0x20003780  r1/a2:  0x00008001  r2/a3:  0x50120000
 [00:00:00.430,761] <err> os: r3/a4:  0x00000000 r12/ip:  0x20003780 r14/lr:  0x0000da13
 [00:00:00.430,765] <err> os:  xpsr:  0x29000000
 [00:00:00.430,769] <err> os: Faulting instruction address (r15/pc): 0x00008002
 [00:00:00.430,791] <err> os: >>> ZEPHYR FATAL ERROR 25: Unknown error on CPU 0
 [00:00:00.430,809] <err> os: Current thread: 0x20000dc0 (main)
 [00:00:00.503,479] <err> os: Halting system

On the nRF52840 DK, the device would fail, but no log would be printed out.

I was able to narrow down the failure to the fs_mount() call, but I haven't figured out why yet.

I also have a question about the project. Is it designed to work with an empty external flash? I suspect the existing memory on my nRF52840 DK external flash to be at fault, so I erased it before testing. However, the issue persists.

Hieu

[Carlos]

Hi Hieu,

yes, the design expects to use external flash disk empty to be populated with sensor data.
I'm not capable of capture the hard fault in nrf54l15dk and it works for my nrf52840dk, even if there is a problem with my jedec data for flash memory but at least the partitions are recognized properly.
Please, see these small videos capturing what happen in my side, this my clarify something for you.
Let me know any other question you may have.

Thank you very much for your effort.