We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Steve — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:15:26 GMT

Thanks to all who replied with hints to a solution. The answer for nrf54 devices is to forget about nrfjprog which is unsupported and depricated. The new programmer is nrfutil but this beast takes an AI to help you figure out what to do with it.

First, go to One tool to rule them all: nRF Util becomes a unified command line utility to learn how to set it up.

I found that the command completion icing still does not work reliably.

The new command line for programming at a new clock speed is:

> nrfutil device program --firmware app.hex --swd-clock-frequency 1000 --options chip_erase_mode=ERASE_ALL --reset-kind RESET_SYSTEM

You may still need the nRF Connect and Programmer apps to connect with the right device, and there's no command line entry there so you need a Windows PowerShell (if that is your platform) to enter the line.

This is all the worst kind of clunky first time out sophomoric user interface, but looks like it works.

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Ressa — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:44:32 GMT

Hi,

For nRF54 family the official recommendation is to switch to nRF Util. In nRF Command Line Tools page it is clearly mentioned that no further updates will be made to that. Also nRF54 series is not mentioned as supported family for that nRF Command Line Tools - nordicsemi.com .

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Steve — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:52:25 GMT

Will someone who KNOWS please tell me how to obtain the correct nrfjprog.exe AND JLink Commander AND JLink*.DLL for programming the nRF54L15 ???

2026-02-23T16:41:22.090Z INFO Initialising the bundled nrfutil device
2026-02-23T16:41:22.107Z DEBUG Application data folder: C:\Users\stevewald\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2026-02-23T16:41:22.135Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-programmer v4.7.2 (official)
2026-02-23T16:41:22.135Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\stevewald\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2026-02-23T16:41:22.135Z DEBUG nRFConnect 5.2.1, required by the app is (>=5.2.0)
2026-02-23T16:41:22.135Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\stevewald\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\resources\app.asar
2026-02-23T16:41:22.135Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\stevewald
2026-02-23T16:41:22.135Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\STEVEW~1\AppData\Local\Temp
2026-02-23T16:41:23.022Z INFO Using the bundled core version for nrfutil device: 8.1.1
2026-02-23T16:41:23.052Z INFO Using nrfutil device version: 2.15.7
2026-02-23T16:41:23.052Z INFO Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.22.5
2026-02-23T16:41:23.052Z INFO Using nrf-probe version: 0.51.0
2026-02-23T16:41:23.053Z INFO Using SEGGER J-Link version: JLink_V9.20
2026-02-23T16:41:23.053Z INFO Your version of SEGGER J-Link (9.20) is newer than the one this app was tested with (8.76). 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.
2026-02-23T16:41:23.069Z INFO Getting serial port options from the persistent store for AH02X0KT.pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2026-02-23T16:41:23.070Z INFO Device connected with the serial number AH02X0KT
2026-02-23T16:41:43.713Z INFO Getting serial port options from the persistent store for 001057761796.pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2026-02-23T16:41:43.713Z INFO Device connected with the serial number 001057761796
2026-02-23T16:41:43.747Z INFO Getting serial port options from the persistent store for 001057761796.pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2026-02-23T16:41:49.023Z INFO Selecting device with the serial number 001057761796
2026-02-23T16:41:49.675Z INFO Selected device with the serial number 001057761796
2026-02-23T16:41:49.675Z INFO Using nrfutil device to communicate with target via JLink
2026-02-23T16:41:49.676Z INFO JLink OB firmware version J-Link OB-nRF5340-NordicSemi compiled Jul 8 2025 10:15:34
2026-02-23T16:41:49.676Z INFO Device family NRF54L_FAMILY
2026-02-23T16:41:49.676Z INFO Device version NRF54L15_xxAA_REV1
2026-02-23T16:41:49.676Z INFO Board version PCA10156

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Turbo J — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:26:48 GMT

You have a DLL problem:

SEGGER J-Link Commander V8.96 (Compiled Dec 18 2025 16:52:18)
DLL version V8.96, compiled Dec 18 2025 16:51:21

Note that commander and DLL versions matches. I did not bother installing newer J-Link here, don't have an NRF54x board yet.

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Steve — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:54:20 GMT

Did that already.

PS C:\Users\stevewald> JLink --version
SEGGER J-Link Commander V9.20 (Compiled Feb 19 2026 11:34:29)
DLL version V8.42, compiled Jun 11 2025 12:20:03

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Turbo J — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:28:23 GMT

You can update the Dll by installing latest JLink software version directly from SEGGER.com website.

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Steve — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 22:43:00 GMT

I updated my command-line-tools to 10.24.2 but still only have JLinkArm.dll version 8.42, and no support for the 54L in nrfprog. It won't even start running a command without throwing the undefined family error.

My customer looked at the waveforms above and exclaimed "There is no reason for those signals to be loaded like that!" I agree. Don't they come from the DEBUGGER chip (nRF5340)? Why can't the GPIO on that part be programmed to a decent sized load???

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Ressa — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:04:47 GMT

You can try with nrfutil as well with the flag that Jörg mentioned. As a quick check, with my version of nrfjprog it was able to program the SoC (nRF54L15) and I checked the functionality afterward and it was fine (without --verify flag as it failed for me as well).

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Steve — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:15:10 GMT

Ok. You have a method for piping the nRF Connect Programmer commands through nrfutil?

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Turbo J — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:42:00 GMT

The nrfutil device command knows --swd-clock-frequency option that has the same function.

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Steve — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:00:59 GMT

Nope. This would only work if nrfjprog would support the NRF54 family!

C:\Users\stevewald>nrfjprog -f NRF54 -c 1000 --readcode --log
ERROR: Argument provided has a wrong value. Memory access not aligned, value
ERROR: outside of range or similar.

C:\Users\stevewald>nrfjprog -f UNKNOWN -c 1000 --readcode --log
ERROR: [ nRFXX] - Family identification failed.
ERROR: nrfjprog could not identify the target device. This may be due to an
ERROR: invalid family argument, a problem with your device, or nrfjprog may
ERROR: not yet support your device.
ERROR: Please check the family argument passed, or upgrade nrfjprog to a more
ERROR: recent version.

C:\Users\stevewald>nrfjprog --version
nrfjprog version: 10.15.2 external
JLinkARM.dll version: 8.42

We looked at the SWD signals with a scope. The signals are not 'weak', but do meet voltage levels. However they are both under-damped (I/O - blue), and over-damped (CLK - green). No wonder the cable needs to be so short. The drivers need to be re-engineered.

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Ressa — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:03:05 GMT

Just as an experiment, you can try to paly with SWD clock speed using nrfjprog command. It is not a recommended approach but you can try to see if it makes any difference:

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Ressa — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:52:41 GMT

Hi Steve,

As Paal mentioned, the standard approach in your scenario would be to have some sort of driver/buffer for the lines or to use different debugger than DK debug out port. Also if the voltage on the boards are different, then having even shorter cable is recommended when using DK debug out port.

Best regards,
Ressa

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

PaKa — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:51:37 GMT

No, this is a physical limitation with the drivers on the DK. For longer cables you will probably need to use a dedicated debugger with different driver stage for the lines.

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Steve — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:45:20 GMT

Thanks Ressa, these are helpful hints, but we are using a probe station to connect the external board - the programming signals need to go through manual manipulators and can only be shortened so much. Is it possible to reduce the comm rate for this situation?

RE: We are unable to connect the nRF54L15 DK Debug Out port to our external nRF54L15 pre-production board. Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed

Ressa — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 09:54:33 GMT

Hi Steve,

The RESET pin is not required but you must make sure it is stable during programming. The connections you have between DK and your custom board is fine. Also since you can program DK BLE SoC then it means the issue is mainly from hardware not software settings or version. One common issue when using DK for programming external boards is having long wires which gives exactly similar behavior. So based on that may I know the lengths of the wires used for connections? Please make sure the wires for connecting external board to DK is as short as possible (less than 10 cm).