Cannot program the board

[Plakkies]

I am using vscode on linux, I started by programming the blinky sample onto the devkit, without issue. I then moved on to the gnss sample in a separate project, this worked too without issue. Trying to work out how to do debug I found that I could not program the board anymore. A restart and reboot later and the problem persists. I have also tried the first project which was working correctly. The error below is from this project and im juts trying to do a reset. The same error is produced when I try flash it as well. I have not modified the board at all.

 Using the nRF Connect SDK v3.1.0 at /home/plakkies/workspace

No issues were detected with the toolchain.

[12:43:02] flash -d /home/plakkies/workspace/blinky_pwm/build --domain blinky_pwm --dev-id 1051282951

[12:43:19] Failure (code 1).

[12:44:19] nrfutil-device reset --serial-number 001051282951 --json

[12:44:33] Error: One or more reset tasks failed:

* 1051282951: Timed out waiting for response from worker. (Generic)

[Plakkies]

I get the same error when trying the celular monitor as well. 

[Øyvind]

Hello, 

How did you install the environment in linux i.e. VS Code extension, SDK and Toolchain?

Plakkies said:

I get the same error when trying the celular monitor as well. 

What errors do you see? Can you please provide the log file, and more on the steps you took so that I can try to reproduce?

In command line, what output do you get when running nrfutil device list? Have you removed any headers from the DK e.g. nrf current measurement header?

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[Plakkies]

Hello, Thank you for the response.
I followed a guide from Nordic on youtube, I have watched many videos from nordic now and cannot find the exact one I used. I did install the VScode extension, the Segger Jtag something, the sdk and toolchain in vscode.
I ran the blinky pwm example without any problems. I also got the gnss example working. The problem started when I tried to change settings in the vscode gui to try get debug working, I did not change any files directly, so I did not remove any headrs as far as Im aware. when trying nrfutil device list I get:
nrfutil device list
1051282951
Product         J-Link
Board version   PCA10171
Traits          seggerUsb, usb, jlink, modem, devkit

Supported devices found: 1
the log file only shows the follwing
2025-09-29T06:51:45.293Z INFO Initialising the bundled nrfutil device
2025-09-29T06:51:45.293Z DEBUG Started watching devices

[Plakkies]

I tried to program the tracker application from quick start and got some more log file info:

2025-09-29T06:51:45.293Z INFO Initialising the bundled nrfutil device
2025-09-29T06:51:45.293Z DEBUG Started watching devices
2025-09-29T06:52:40.713Z INFO Successfully installed nrfutil core version: 8.0.0
2025-09-29T06:53:31.990Z INFO Successfully installed nrfutil device version: 2.13.2
2025-09-29T06:53:32.007Z INFO Using the bundled core version for nrfutil device: 8.0.0
2025-09-29T06:53:32.034Z DEBUG Selected device: nRF9151 DK
2025-09-29T06:53:32.053Z DEBUG Changed step: Info
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using nrfutil device version: 2.13.2
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.19.0
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using nrf-probe version: 0.45.0
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using SEGGER J-Link version: JLink_V8.72
2025-09-29T06:53:32.105Z INFO Your version of SEGGER J-Link (8.72) is newer than the one this app was tested with (8.60). The tested version is not required, and your J-Link version will most likely work fine. If you get issues related to J-Link with your devices, use the tested version.
2025-09-29T06:56:01.849Z DEBUG Changed step: Rename
2025-09-29T06:56:24.823Z DEBUG Changed step: Program
2025-09-29T06:56:44.313Z ERROR Failed to initialize worker: Timed out waiting for response from worker.
2025-09-29T06:56:48.490Z ERROR Trace channel disconnected unexpectedly.
2025-09-29T06:56:48.493Z ERROR Worker terminated by signal 9.
2025-09-29T06:56:48.493Z ERROR Error output of terminated worker: 

I am going to try use v8.6 and get back to you

[Plakkies]

Looking at doing the downgrade is scary, It looks like that refers to the firmware on the board. I dont understand when It was changed from the origional. Im concerened to try mess with that. Can you send a link on doing the downgrade properly before I make things worse.

[Plakkies]

OK, It was not the firmware, I downgraded SEGGER J-Link to v8.6 and here is the log file again after I tried programming the asset tracker again:
2025-09-29T06:51:45.293Z INFO Initialising the bundled nrfutil device
2025-09-29T06:51:45.293Z DEBUG Started watching devices
2025-09-29T06:52:40.713Z INFO Successfully installed nrfutil core version: 8.0.0
2025-09-29T06:53:31.990Z INFO Successfully installed nrfutil device version: 2.13.2
2025-09-29T06:53:32.007Z INFO Using the bundled core version for nrfutil device: 8.0.0
2025-09-29T06:53:32.034Z DEBUG Selected device: nRF9151 DK
2025-09-29T06:53:32.053Z DEBUG Changed step: Info
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using nrfutil device version: 2.13.2
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.19.0
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using nrf-probe version: 0.45.0
2025-09-29T06:53:32.104Z INFO Using SEGGER J-Link version: JLink_V8.72
2025-09-29T06:53:32.105Z INFO Your version of SEGGER J-Link (8.72) is newer than the one this app was tested with (8.60). The tested version is not required, and your J-Link version will most likely work fine. If you get issues related to J-Link with your devices, use the tested version.
2025-09-29T06:56:01.849Z DEBUG Changed step: Rename
2025-09-29T06:56:24.823Z DEBUG Changed step: Program
2025-09-29T06:56:44.313Z ERROR Failed to initialize worker: Timed out waiting for response from worker.
2025-09-29T06:56:48.490Z ERROR Trace channel disconnected unexpectedly.
2025-09-29T06:56:48.493Z ERROR Worker terminated by signal 9.
2025-09-29T06:56:48.493Z ERROR Error output of terminated worker: 
2025-09-29T07:11:17.524Z ERROR Failed to initialize worker: Timed out waiting for response from worker.
2025-09-29T07:11:21.712Z ERROR Trace channel disconnected unexpectedly.
2025-09-29T07:11:21.714Z ERROR Worker terminated by signal 9.
2025-09-29T07:11:21.715Z ERROR Error output of terminated worker: 

It seems the only real error I'm getting is the timeout.