Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Quentin LACOMBE — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 07:51:18 GMT

Hi,

thanks for your answer, we can't reproduce the issue again, it seem to work correctly with 32 bit mode and we can write our images as expected.

Thanks for your help !

Quentin

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Hieu — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:08:43 GMT

Hi Quentin,

We cannot reproduce the issue on our end, tested with nrfutil version 8.1.0 and nrfutil-device version 2.12.6. It should work with most recent versions of nRF Util though.

Could you try with "rx_delay" : 7?

If that doesn't work, could you make an attempt with --log-level=trace, and share with us the resulting log files found in <USERHOME>/.nrfutil/logs?

Hieu

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Hieu — Sat, 02 Aug 2025 09:06:18 GMT

Hi Quentin,

Simon is out of office, and I will continue helping you. I have relayed your observation to our nRF Util team. We will investigate and follow-up with you next week.

Hieu

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Quentin LACOMBE — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 12:28:52 GMT

Thanks for your answer. We try to use the nrfutil commands. When we write our file at the beginning of the flash memory (0x10000000) and use the 24bit adresses mode ("address_mode": "MODE24BIT"), it work.

When we try to write the file at the end of the flash (0x11E98000), we need to switch to 32 bit adresses mode"address_mode": "MODE32BIT", and now it doesn't work. Our address is outside the 24 bit address range.

We also try to write at the beginning of the flash (0x10000000) like previously but with 32 bit adresses mode and it doesn't work too. Is there an other thing to do than set the "address_mode" parameter to "MODE32BIT", if we want to use 32 bit adresses mode ?

Here is our config file used with the nrfutil command:

{

"firmware_config": {

"peripheral": "QSPI"

"pins": {

"sck": 17,

"csn": 18,

"io0": 13,

"io1": 14,

"io2": 15,

"io3": 16

"flash_size": 33554432,

"sck_frequency": 8000000,

"address_mode": "MODE24BIT",

"readoc": "READ4IO",

"writeoc": "PP4IO",

"pp_size": "PPSIZE256",

"sck_delay": 0,

"rx_delay": 0,

"page_size": 4096

}

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Simonr — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 06:11:19 GMT

Hi Quentin

Sorry about the late reply, but I haven't been able to get to this one due to the staff shortage over the summer. To write to external memory, check out the nrfutil commands that does so available here.

Your external flash size seems fine.

Best regards,

Simon

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Quentin LACOMBE — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 08:03:51 GMT

The size of the external flash is 32 megabytes. Our file contains raw data, and we don't want to execute the content stored in the external flash.

The XIP area is only necessary when executing code from external memory, right?

Currently, we can write our file from the firmware with few tricks, but to simplify our process, we would like to be able to write to the external memory using the debugger. I just want to know if it's possible.

Thanks,

Quentin

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Simonr — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 06:47:44 GMT

And what's the size of the external flash you're using? This sounds like a very large file to be honest, so please make sure that your XIP area covers more than 512 kB.

Best regards,

Simon

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Quentin LACOMBE — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:07:09 GMT

Hi,

Thanks for your answer, the size of the file I want to write is 512 583 bytes.

Quentin

RE: Write binary file to external QSPI flash with nrfjprog

Simonr — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 10:46:43 GMT

How big is this file exactly? Seems like the XIP area of your application isn't large enough to fit the entire zephyr.recovery file you're trying to put into the QSPI flash.

Best regards,

Simon