Failure in ble_stack_init during startup

[SteveHx]

We are trying to bring up a new run of an existing PCB design. No changes in the area of the processor, but a different assembly house. The first call inside ble_stack_init, a call to nrf_sdh_enable_request(), fails and returns an error code of 8. No reference anywhere gives a usable explanation.

Strangely, if started by "copying" the hex file onto the Jlink "drive" (the nRF52832 DevKit), it succeeds.

What should we be looking for?

[Vidar Berg]

Hello,

It seems like the issue might be with how the firmware is programmed since it appears to work when you use drag&drop programming. How are you programming the device when it fails? Is the same error also returned after a reset? Note that the "SoftDevice enable" function may return NRF_ERROR_INVALID_STATE (8) if the debugger forces execution to start from the application start address instead of address 0x0. This prevents the softdevice's reset handler from running on startup.

Best regards,

Vidar

[SteveHx]

I was starting it from SES (Segger) just as I have on dozens of previous nRF52832 projects, and indeed successfully on previous runs of this board. So there's something different in the hardware, and I'm asking where to look. What sort of "invalid state" is likely?

[SteveHx]

That's no help because the reset doesn't occur if run with the debugger. I already record RESETREAS into NV memory right at hte beginning of main(), and it's all zeroes in the failure case. ?!?!?

[Vidar Berg]

that is exactly why I am suggesting you attach the debugger to the running target after the reset has occurred. 

[SteveHx]

How do I go about that? Any time I run the debugger, it resets the code to the start of main(), and stepping or just running from there runs flawlessly. Apparently you know some new and very useful trick I need to learn.

[Vidar Berg]

You can use nrfutil from the command line (cmd.exe) as described earlier. First step is to install nrfutil and the "device" subcommand. Installation instructions can be found here: https://docs.nordicsemi.com/r/bundle/nrfutil/page/readme.html/about-nrf-util 

[SteveHx]

What am I missing??

2026-06-19  8:13:08.51 d:\Download>nrfutil device read --address 0x40000400 --direct
Error: nrfutil command `device` not found. See `nrfutil list` for full list of installed commands, `nrfutil search` for installable commands, and `nrfutil install` for installation of new commands.

Caused by:
    Subcommand nrfutil-device.exe not found

2026-06-19  8:13:55.88 d:\Download>nrfutil search
Command           Installed Latest Status
91                          0.4.1  Not installed
ble-sniffer                 0.12.0 Not installed
completion                  1.4.0  Not installed
device                      2.3.6  Not installed
npm                         0.3.0  Not installed
nrf5sdk-tools               1.0.1  Not installed
toolchain-manager           0.14.4 Not installed
trace                       2.1.0  Not installed

Found 8 installable command(s)

2026-06-19  8:14:12.76 d:\Download>nrfutil install device
Error: Failed to install nrfutil-device

Caused by:
    0: Could not download package
    1: failed to download from `developer.nordicsemi.com/.../nrfutil-device-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc-2.3.6.tar.gz`
    2: failed to get 200 response from `developer.nordicsemi.com/.../nrfutil-device-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc-2.3.6.tar.gz`, got 410

[Vidar Berg]

It looks like you may have an old version of nrfutil installed with an outdated package index. Please try to run "nrfutil self-upgrade" before attempting to run "nrfutil install device" again.

When testing this, please remember to temporarily remove the code that clears the RESETREAS register in your application.

[SteveHx]

If it's an outdated package, the website needs to be updated. I just downloaded the latest. I also tried your self-upgrade suggestion, which failed the same way.

2026-06-19  8:34:20.53 d:\Download>nrfutil self-upgrade
Uninstalled nrfutil
Error: Failed to install nrfutil

Caused by:
    0: Could not download package
    1: failed to download from `developer.nordicsemi.com/.../nrfutil-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc-7.11.1.tar.gz`
    2: failed to get 200 response from `developer.nordicsemi.com/.../nrfutil-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc-7.11.1.tar.gz`, got 410

I also attempted to manually download the device add-on, and got

Gone

The requested resource is no longer available on this server and there is no forwarding address. Please remove all references to this resource.

Next?

[Vidar Berg]

That is strange. Can you post a link to the page you downloaded the executable from? Also, try to run "where nrfutil" to make sure are calling the executable you just downloaded and not one you may have downloaded earlier.

[SteveHx]

Right from the Nordic website:

https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-tools/nRF-Util

[SteveHx]

And yes, where shows exactly the one I downloaded. I was running it from within the directory where I downloaded it, so no sneaky hidden paths to it.