Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:30:06 GMT

Fresh eyes always works!

I got inspiration from the jlink homepage (https://www.segger.com/products/debug-probes/j-link/tools/j-link-commander/) and ran

./opt/SEGGER/JLink/JLinkExe

It immediately brought up a prompt and told me its firmware needs refreshing. After that it works like the other DK.

Cheston

cheston@cheston:/opt/SEGGER/JLink$ ls
DDConditionerExe JLinkRegistration JScopeExe
DevProExe JLinkRegistrationExe JTAGLoadExe
Doc JLinkRemoteServer libjlinkarm.so
ETC JLinkRemoteServerCLExe libjlinkarm.so.8Ran
Firmwares JLinkRemoteServerExe libjlinkarm.so.8.18.0
GDBServer JLinkRTTClient libjlinkarm_x86.so
JFlashExe JLinkRTTClientExe libjlinkarm_x86.so.8
JFlashLiteExe JLinkRTTLogger libjlinkarm_x86.so.8.18.0
JFlashSPI_CL JLinkRTTLoggerExe libQtCore.so
JFlashSPICLExe JLinkRTTViewerExe libQtCore.so.4
JFlashSPIExe JLinkSTM32 libQtCore.so.4.8
JLinkConfigExe JLinkSTM32Exe libQtCore.so.4.8.7
JLinkExe JLinkSWOViewer libQtGui.so
JLinkGDBServer JLinkSWOViewerCLExe libQtGui.so.4
JLinkGDBServerCLExe JLinkSWOViewerExe libQtGui.so.4.8
JLinkGDBServerExe JLinkUSBWebServerExe libQtGui.so.4.8.7
JLinkGUIServerExe JLinkXVCDServerExe Samples
JLinkLicenseManager JMemExe Script
JLinkLicenseManagerExe JRunExe x86
cheston@cheston:/opt/SEGGER/JLink$ ./JLinkExe
SEGGER J-Link Commander V8.18 (Compiled Mar 5 2025 14:47:32)
DLL version V8.18, compiled Mar 5 2025 14:46:29

Connecting to J-Link via USB...Updating firmware: J-Link OB-nRF5340-NordicSemi compiled Feb 11 2025 17:15:35
Replacing firmware: J-Link OB-nRF5340-NordicSemi compiled May 18 2021 BTL
Waiting for new firmware to boot
New firmware booted successfully
O.K.
Firmware: J-Link OB-nRF5340-NordicSemi compiled Feb 11 2025 17:15:35
Hardware version: V1.00
J-Link uptime (since boot): 0d 00h 00m 00s
S/N: 1050261048
License(s): RDI, FlashBP, FlashDL, JFlash, GDB
USB speed mode: Full speed (12 MBit/s)
VTref=3.300V

Type "connect" to establish a target connection, '?' for help
J-Link>

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 06:42:36 GMT

I finally have time to come back to try fixing. So I have nRF Connect for desktop installed and ran Quick Start 1.3.

Interesting to see that it can still be recognised as a nrf52840 DK but it will not go anywhere.

Does the log ring any bell?

2025-07-09T06:36:42.644Z INFO Initialising the bundled nrfutil device
2025-07-09T06:36:42.658Z DEBUG Started watching devices
2025-07-09T06:36:48.980Z INFO Using the bundled core version for nrfutil device: 8.0.0
2025-07-09T06:36:49.054Z DEBUG Selected device: nRF52840 DK
2025-07-09T06:36:49.094Z DEBUG Changed step: Info
2025-07-09T06:36:49.095Z INFO Using nrfutil-device version: 2.10.2
2025-07-09T06:36:49.096Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.17.71
2025-07-09T06:36:49.096Z INFO Using nrf-probe version: 0.38.0
2025-07-09T06:36:49.096Z INFO Using JLink version: JLink_V8.18
2025-07-09T06:37:59.285Z DEBUG Changed step: Rename
2025-07-09T06:38:01.593Z DEBUG Changed step: Info
2025-07-09T06:38:04.841Z DEBUG Changed step: Rename
2025-07-09T06:38:06.285Z DEBUG Changed step: Program
2025-07-09T06:38:18.973Z ERROR [ProbeLib] [2025-07-09 06:38:18.955244Z] Failed to initialize worker: Timed out waiting for response from worker.
2025-07-09T06:38:23.142Z ERROR [ProbeLib] [2025-07-09 06:38:23.141505Z] Trace channel disconnected unexpectedly.
2025-07-09T06:38:23.143Z ERROR [ProbeLib] [2025-07-09 06:38:23.142954Z] Worker terminated by signal 9.
2025-07-09T06:38:23.143Z ERROR [ProbeLib] [2025-07-09 06:38:23.143028Z] Error output of terminated worker:

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 14:14:39 GMT

I installed linux version of https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-tools/nRF-Command-Line-Tools/Download but am having trouble getting nrfjprog command to work. I'll try the rest a few days later. Thank you.

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

Sigurd Hellesvik — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 14:03:30 GMT

Im just throwing suggestions at you right now, and hoping that maybe one of them works eventually.

After nrfjprog --reset, can you install nRF Connect For Dekstop and then open the Device Configurator application? Then see if that works at all

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:54:51 GMT

I only have one usb cable and am using it with the working one (top). Bottom is not working.

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

Sigurd Hellesvik — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:45:47 GMT

[quote user="cheston2"]Is there not a way to revive it by any button?[/quote]

Not other than the trick I told you in my first comment no.

[quote user="cheston2"]Also I notice that the DK reset itself after this spin. Does it tell anything?[/quote]

This looks interesting. Can you try "nrfjrprog --reset"?

Also, it could be the USB cable. Have you tried the same USB cable with both DKs?

Can you send an image of the non-working DK?

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:01:01 GMT

I don't think thats possible as I bought as part of a batch of corporate purchase.

Is there not a way to revive it by any button?

Also I notice that the DK reset itself after this spin. Does it tell anything?

[quote userid="145942" url="~/f/nordic-q-a/121952/bricked-pca10056-nrf52840-dk"][/quote]

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

Sigurd Hellesvik — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:25:47 GMT

In this case, it looks like you have received a defect Developement Kit.

Can you try to contact the supplier from where you got it and get a replacement?

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:09:09 GMT

It can't even be connected...
$ nrfutil device recover
❌ Failed to recover 1050261048, Timed out waiting for response from worker.
Error: One or more recover tasks failed:
* 1050261048: Timed out waiting for response from worker. (Generic)

$ nrfutil device recover
❌ Failed to recover 1050261048, Timed out waiting for response from worker.
Error: One or more recover tasks failed:
* 1050261048: Timed out waiting for response from worker. (Generic)

$ nrfutil device erase
❌ Failed to erase 1050261048, Timed out waiting for response from worker.
Error: One or more erase tasks failed:
* 1050261048: Timed out waiting for response from worker. (Generic)

$ lsusb
...
Bus 003 Device 027: ID 1366:0101 SEGGER J-Link PLUS
...

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 11:41:54 GMT

They turned on exactly the same way

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

Sigurd Hellesvik — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:23:13 GMT

Does the LED next to the interface chip light up on both DKs the same?

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

cheston2 — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 04:13:47 GMT

3.0.0 is the newer version. Holding reset button doesn't really work. What else could I do?

```
$ lsusb
Bus 003 Device 010: ID 1366:0101 SEGGER J-Link PLUS
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
$ nrfutil device x-update-debug-probe-firmware
Error: One or more update debug probe firmware tasks failed:
* 1050261048: Timed out waiting for response from worker. (Generic)

```

RE: Bricked PCA10056 nrf52840 DK

Sigurd Hellesvik — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 11:37:17 GMT

Hi,

We have two versions of the On-Board debugger. One with the sticker on the chip (the old one), and one with the sticker directly on the PCB (The new version).

This will work for the new version, which should be the one that you got:

Hold the reset button while plugging in the USB of the DK. You will see no change, but the On-Board Debugger should now be in recovery mode.

Run "nrfutil device x-update-debug-probe-firmware"

This should update the firmware on the On-Board Debugger. So if it is a software problem, then this should fix it.

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik