nRF51824 uploads and verifies, but doesn't run except for the experimental examples

[Pepijn]

Hi all,

I have updated a custom automotive PCB and am now using the nRF51824 instead of the nRF52832 I had been using previously.

Unfortunately, I have been unable to get self-compiled code to run on the new nRF51824. Compiling, uploading, verifying and reading works fine; no errors returned. However, the code doesn't run and main() isn't executed (the same code works without any problems on the nRF5-DK). The same applies to the (precompiled) examples in the SDK (v12).

Coincidentally I found out the experimental examples from the SDK do run. However, only the precompiled .hex files. Compiling, merging and programming of the source code of the experimental examples doesn't work (no errors returned, but the code isn't executed).

So unfortunately I can't reproduce those working .hex files to find the differences in the source code.

My questions is: what am I missing to reproduce the experimental .hex files in the examples folder? Or why could it be that my nRF51824 doesn't execute code, but uploading doesn't return any errors?

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

Which examples are you trying to use? Note that nRF51824 is nRF51 chip, so you should use PCA10028 examples. Are you using BLE, and if so, have you flashed the softdevice? The softdevice is not included in the examples and must be flashed separately. The precompiled hex files have the softdevice hex-file merged in.

[Pepijn]

One of the working examples I have used is: /examples/ble_peripheral/experimental_ble_app_blinky/hex/experimental_ble_app_blinky_pca10028_s130.hex.

I have tried to reproduce the .hex file using (relative to the example folder):

• "make" in \pca10028\s130\armgcc
• "mergehex" using \pca10028\s130\armgcc_build\nrf51422_xxac.hex and s130_nrf51_2.0.1_softdevice.hex

So I am always uploading with a merged softdevice. The strange thing however is, is that the precompiled (with merged softdevice) .hex's of the non-experimental examples do not work.

I couldn't get any non-BLE example to work (probably because there aren't any experimental versions I thought).

[Jørgen Holmefjord]

There is no difference between the experimental and non-experimental examples, except the name and that they should not be considered production ready. The nRF51824 is only available in QFAA variant with 16 kB of RAM. Could you try reducing the RAM length in the linker-file by 0x4000 (e.g., from 0x6018 to 0x2018)?

[Pepijn]

For some mysterious reason the same question got asked a few hours before my case: devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../. His answer applies to my case as well.