Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Massimo Pilia — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 14:07:45 GMT

Hi Stian,

we are migrating from nRF5_SDK_13.1.0_7ca7556 to nRF5_SDK_14.2.0_17b948a.

Now we have some problems with the bootloader again.

We can flash the application but then the board remains in bootloader mode, advertising as DfuTarg.

We also tried to perform a DFU with the same result.

It seams the bootloader doesn't validate the application. But how can we debug it? If we use the macro NRF_DEBUG_ENABLE the compiler returns a no_space error.

The only things we changed are:

the SoftDevice requirements (from 0x98 to 0x9D) in the command used to generate the DFU packet;
the macro NRF_SD_BLE_API_VERSION (from 4 to 5) in the keil option for target.

Is there any other change we have to do during migration?

Thanks a lot

Massimo

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Massimo Pilia — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 09:08:21 GMT

Hi Stian, more better!!!

Just to notice, in the nRF51 when I perfom a DFU with the nRF Connect app this happens as a unique step whereas in the rRF52 there are two of them. I start the DFU process with my application, then the devise resets switching to dfuTarg and the firmware transfer continues in background.

Why this difference?

Thanks a lot!!!

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Stian Røed Hafskjold — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 07:52:59 GMT

Nice! I'm glad it worked! You can download the precompiled standalone .exe version of nrfutil from here: github.com/.../releases

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Massimo Pilia — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 14:15:37 GMT

Hi Stian, thanks a lot.

This solve the problem!!!

I created some scripts batch I call into keil in order to generate the "Bootloader Setting Page" and write it in the right position in flash. Everything works fine but I noticed the version 3.3.2 of nrfutil.exe comes inside a python package! So I was wondering if there is the possibility avoiding to use python, therefore the scripts I'd share do not need to refer to a python installation in the new machine!

Greatings

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Stian Røed Hafskjold — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 10:38:34 GMT

The problem is FLASH_STORAGE_ADDRESS in flash_uc.h. This is set to 0x7F000. This is used by the bootloader settings page. I changed it to 0x77000 which is below the bootloader I used, and the application now works.

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Massimo Pilia — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 08:04:34 GMT

Hi Stian, I removed the CONFIG_GPIO_AS_PINRESET define in the project settings of the bootloader project and something did appen, but there is still something does not work properly. Now, if I perform a DFU firmware transfer I get the following behaviour:

The board appears down but, if I push the button (mapped in the pin P0.06) then the application start properly. If then I do a reset, in that moment the board reboot as DfuTarg.

I get the same behaviour if I flash only SD+BL(without settings), or SD+BL(without settings)+APP, or SD+BL(with settings), or SD+BL(with settings)+APP, before to perform the DFU.

I also modified the Bootloader settings script:

nrfutil settings generate --family NRF52 --application nrf52832_xxaa.hex --application-version 1 --bootloader-version 1 --bl-settings-version 1 bl_settings.hex

I'll send you the application project as well.

Thank you Massimo

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Stian Røed Hafskjold — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 14:41:25 GMT

Hi, I had a look at your hex files, and I can also get the application to work but not app+BL. I think I found the issue. In your application you are using pin P21. This is the reset pin. Since your application is not configuring this as a reset pin, it works fine as a regular GPIO. However, the bootloader configures this as the reset pin (writing to the PSELRESET registers), so then your application will not start if this pin is used as a GPIO.

You can go to the bootloader project and remove the CONFIG_GPIO_AS_PINRESET define in the project settings. This should get you a bit further. Let me know if things still don't work. In that case maybe you can post your application project as well.

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Massimo Pilia — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 08:29:08 GMT

In order to upload the files you ask me, I had to post a new answer...

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Massimo Pilia — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 08:27:44 GMT

Related to your previous comment, Stian, here you can find the hex-files (Application, Bootloader and, just to check, Bootloader-Settings):

Application.hex

Bootloader.hex

Bootloader_settings.hex

Please, let me know if there is something strange. Thank you.

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Stian Røed Hafskjold — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 07:31:27 GMT

Yes, you're right that you have to generate the settings page if you want to flash SD, BL and app in production.

Is it possible for you to post your hex-files here, both application and bootloader, so I can check for any inconsistencies?

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Massimo Pilia — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 07:08:28 GMT

Hi Stian and thank you for your reply.

Unfortunately, what you suggested does not work! I can successfully complete the file transfer but then it appears the board get stuck. It does not advertise at all (opposite when I do not use bootloader but only SD+Application).

Furthermore, in production we'r going to need to flash the SD + Bootloader + Application with a programmer so in that case we'll have to generate the settings page, wont we?

Massimo

RE: Application does not start beside DFU bootloader

Stian Røed Hafskjold — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 09:37:33 GMT

You only need to generate the settings page if you plan on flashing the application using a programmer instead of uploading it through the DFU. If you upload the application through the DFU the bootloader automatically creates the settings page.

Can you try to only flash SD and bootloader, and then upload the application using nRF Connect or similar, and see if that works?