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

We have the Nordic nRF54L15-DK PCA10156 0.9.3 2025.19

We use nRF Connect for Desktop v5.2.1 and Programmer v4.7.2 and connect by USB to our ASI_nRF54L_DK1 001057739416.

Windows OS: Windows 11 Pro v 25H2 build 26200.7623

PC Hardware: Intel Core i7-8700 3.2GHz  16GB RAM  64-bit OS, x64 processor

The Programmer Logs the following initialization:

14:19:58.371
Initialising the bundled nrfutil device
14:19:59.280
Using the bundled core version for nrfutil device: 8.1.1
14:19:59.307
Using nrfutil device version: 2.15.7
14:19:59.308
Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.22.5
14:19:59.308
Using nrf-probe version: 0.51.0
14:19:59.308
Using SEGGER J-Link version: JLink_V8.76
14:19:59.325
Getting serial port options from the persistent store for AH02X0KT.pc-nrfconnect-programmer
14:19:59.326
Device connected with the serial number AH02X0KT
14:21:06.589
Getting serial port options from the persistent store for 001057739416.pc-nrfconnect-programmer
14:21:06.589
Device connected with the serial number 001057739416
14:21:06.613
Getting serial port options from the persistent store for 001057739416.pc-nrfconnect-programmer

The setup works fine for programming the DK's BLE chip.

We are following the instructions from the nRF54L15_DK_HW__USER_Guide_v0.9.1.pdf for programming an external board, but always get this error:

12:33:34.446 Failed "reading readback protection status for application core". Error: code: 1, description: Generic, message: Batch task protection-get failed, Device error: Setting the debug port SELECT register failed while powering up sys and debug regions (Unknown error in the J-Link DLL (error code =-1)). This might indicate that the debug port is unavailable. Double-check device power supply and SWD lines, and ensure that SWD is not disabled
12:33:58.273

These are our Connections from P19 DEBUG_OUT to our external board:

  • Power Supply 2.5V to SWDO_VTG and to our board's BLE VDD.
  • GND to Ground
  • SWDO_SWDIO to SWDIO
  • SWDO_SELECT to Ground
  • SWDO_SWDCLK to SWDCLK
  • SWD0_SW0  Not Used
  • SWDO_RESET  Not Used

Is the RESET connection required now? Because on nRF52 devices, Reset would break the programming. What must we do to enable the SWD? What J-LINK Settings should we use on the Programmer GUI?

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

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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 . 

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