GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

RE: GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

roman.turkin — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 04:12:10 GMT

I had exactly the same issue. SDK v3.0.2, Ubuntu 22.04, a custom PCB with NRF9151, and I was running a JLink v782. I was able to attach with a debugger and perform my debugging session after removing the JLink DEB package and installing JLink v850.

RE: GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

JetroSimen — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:56:27 GMT

Thanks a lot ;)

looking forward to your reply!

RE: GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

Susheel Nuguru — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:54:24 GMT

Thanks for the info Simen,

Since more than one is having this issue, I will try to get help to investigate this internally. Seems like an issue in our solution but if it is in the SDK or VSC is unclear for now until we dive in a bit deeper. The response internally will be a bit slower these coming 3 weeks due to summer holidays in Norway. But if I get an update sooner I will revert here after that.

RE: GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

JetroSimen — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 12:52:08 GMT

Hi, I have the same problem. I had to roll back to 2.9.x to get it to work.

Today I tried on a different pc (windows 10), with clean SDK 3.0.2 and only debugging a blinky on nrf9151dk.

I have the same issue while debugging with J-Link Base debugger.

Please check power, connection and settings.
"C:\Program Files\SEGGER\JLink_V794i\JLinkGDBServerCL.exe" exited with code -3 (0xFFFFFFFD).

Please take a closer look at this, seems to be an issue with nRF9151 and SDK 3.0.2.

debugging nRF5340 on SDK 3.0.2 works fine, I only have issues on the nRF9151

RE: GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

Susheel Nuguru — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 06:36:07 GMT

Hi Sonic4,

Seems liike there are two issues that you are seeing. The debugger seeems to be failing mostly due to the target voltage being low or not detected which could be a hardware or USB issue.

The second problem seems to be that your TFM generated files seems to use an outdate function (flash_area_get_sector) which might not be available in the SDK version you are using. Are you sure you are using the same SDK version suggested in the lesson?

RE: GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

sonic4 — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 17:16:32 GMT

...as expected, the "workaround" I described above only worked to get me through assignment 1 in lesson 2 of the Nordic Devacademy intermediate course. Opening a new ticket for the "issue" that is occuring with assignment 2 in lesson 2. This making me hanker for an IDE that is less-ambitious in its functionality, but way-more reliable and transparent. Most of the time I'm doing on this course is figuring out workarounds with VSCode. Trying to build lesson 2 of assigment 2 of the Nordic Devacademy intermediate class with an nRF9151-Dk. On to the next ticket...

sonic4

RE: GDB exited unexpectedly with exit code 253 (0xFD).

sonic4 — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:56:48 GMT

Dear Colleagues,

Strangely, I got a sort-of workaround going today. I upversioned to JLink V810i (nrf-connect wanted V794i). Then, after building with "Optimize for debugging (-Og) enabled in the configuration, I edited bootutil_misc.c to correct line 153. A problem with this file is shown in the "problems" window: implicit declaration of function 'flash area_get_sector'; did you mean 'flash_area_get_sectors'?[-Wimplicit-function-declaration] gcc [Ln 153, Col 15]

I simply edited the file inline and hit "debug", the trusted firmware version flashed and now I am proceeding with the lesson. I did not rebuild.

I believe this will be a consistent problem with each future "debugging enabled" build, since bootutil_misc.c appears to be generated as part of the build.

At least I can proceed with this lesson, though and seem to have identified a temporary workaround. It will be interesting to see what happens the next time I have to use the debugger-- or the next time I start VS.

Thanks, sonic4