Bootloader causes NRF52840 to stop advertising

[Shri1395]

Hi,

I am trying to program the bootloader for the nrf52840. I am trying to create a settings for the specific hex file, and then programming using the nrfjprog commands. But for some reason, whenever i upload the bootloader on top of the soft device and the program, the device stops advertising.

Here are the commands i am using:

 

nrfutil settings generate --family NRF52840 --application ..\Firmware\version\s140\armgcc\_build\nrf52840_xxaa.hex --application-version 2 --bootloader-version 2 --bl-settings-version 1 settingsV10.hex --no-backup

mergehex -m secure_bootloader\pca10056_ble\armgcc\_build\nrf52840_xxaa_s140.hex settingsV10.hex -o bootloaderV10.hex

nrfjprog --family NRF52 -e
nrfjprog --reset --program ..\..\components\softdevice\s140\hex\s140_nrf52_6.0.0_softdevice.hex --family NRF52 --sectoranduicrerase
nrfjprog --reset --program ..\Firmware\version\s140\armgcc\_build\nrf52840_xxaa.hex --family NRF52 --sectoranduicrerase
nrfjprog --reset --program bootloaderV10.hex --family NRF52 --sectoranduicrerase

[Marjeris Romero]

Hi,

The bootloader hex file will write to the UICR, so you should not run --sectoranduicrerase in any of the three program commands after you run eraseall.

Regards,

Marjeris

[Shri1395]

I've tried that. It does not work. As far as i know, there seems to be an image problem with the application hex file.

[Marjeris Romero]

Could you explain more about what commands you are using now then? If you want you can upload the files and we can take a look at them.

[Shri1395]

Hi,

I installed the micro_ecc directory in external directory in the SDK 15.0

I generated a private key, and then a public key corresponding to that private key using these commands.

nrfutil.exe keys generate private.key

nrfutil keys display --key pk --format code private.key --out_file public_key.c

Then, i am using these commands to make the bootloader, and merge the settings file with it. And then program it into the custom NRF52840 board.

nrfutil settings generate --family NRF52840 --application ..\Firmware\Version\s140\armgcc\_build\nrf52840_xxaa.hex --application-version 2 --bootloader-version 1 --bl-settings-version 1  settingsV10.hex
cd secure_bootloader\Version_ble\armgcc

make
cd ..\..\..
mergehex -m secure_bootloader\Version_ble\armgcc\_build\nrf52840_xxaa_s140.hex settingsV10.hex -o bootloader.hex

nrfjprog --family NRF52 -e
nrfjprog --program ..\..\components\softdevice\s140\hex\s140_nrf52_6.0.0_softdevice.hex --family NRF52 --sectoranduicrerase --reset
nrfjprog --program ..\Firmware\Version\s140\armgcc\_build\nrf52840_xxaa.hex --family NRF52 --sectoranduicrerase --reset
nrfjprog --program bootloader.hex --family NRF52 --sectoranduicrerase --reset

rm settingsV10.hex
rmdir secure_bootloader\Version_ble\armgcc\_build /s /Q

[Marjeris Romero]

Can you send me the linker script for you application? I want to make sure that you're allocating enough memory for the BL. If the bootloader advertises when you only flash the BL+SD, then its highly likely that the issue is in the application. So could you try to debug the application after you have flashed the SD+BL+Settings+ APP?

[Shri1395]

/* Linker script to configure memory regions. */

SEARCH_DIR(.)
GROUP(-lgcc -lc -lnosys)

MEMORY
{
  FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0xf8000, LENGTH = 0x6000
  RAM (rwx) :  ORIGIN = 0x200057b8, LENGTH = 0x3a848
  uicr_mbr_params_page (r) : ORIGIN = 0x10001018, LENGTH = 0x4
  mbr_params_page (r) : ORIGIN = 0x000FE000, LENGTH = 0x1000
  bootloader_settings_page (r) : ORIGIN = 0x000FF000, LENGTH = 0x1000
  uicr_bootloader_start_address (r) : ORIGIN = 0x10001014, LENGTH = 0x4
}

SECTIONS
{
  .uicr_mbr_params_page :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_uicr_mbr_params_page = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.uicr_mbr_params_page*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_uicr_mbr_params_page = .);
  } > uicr_mbr_params_page
  .mbr_params_page(NOLOAD) :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_mbr_params_page = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.mbr_params_page*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_mbr_params_page = .);
  } > mbr_params_page
  .bootloader_settings_page(NOLOAD) :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_bootloader_settings_page = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.bootloader_settings_page*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_bootloader_settings_page = .);
  } > bootloader_settings_page
  .uicr_bootloader_start_address :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_uicr_bootloader_start_address = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.uicr_bootloader_start_address*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_uicr_bootloader_start_address = .);
  } > uicr_bootloader_start_address
}

SECTIONS
{
  . = ALIGN(4);
  .mem_section_dummy_ram :
  {
  }
  .log_dynamic_data :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_log_dynamic_data = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.log_dynamic_data*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_log_dynamic_data = .);
  } > RAM
  .fs_data :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_fs_data = .);
    KEEP(*(.fs_data))
    PROVIDE(__stop_fs_data = .);
  } > RAM

} INSERT AFTER .data;

SECTIONS
{
  .mem_section_dummy_rom :
  {
  }
  .crypto_data :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_crypto_data = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.crypto_data*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_crypto_data = .);
  } > FLASH
  .log_const_data :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_log_const_data = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.log_const_data*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_log_const_data = .);
  } > FLASH
    .nrf_queue :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_nrf_queue = .);
    KEEP(*(.nrf_queue))
    PROVIDE(__stop_nrf_queue = .);
  } > FLASH
  .dfu_trans :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_dfu_trans = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.dfu_trans*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_dfu_trans = .);
  } > FLASH
    .nrf_balloc :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_nrf_balloc = .);
    KEEP(*(.nrf_balloc))
    PROVIDE(__stop_nrf_balloc = .);
  } > FLASH
    .svc_data :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_svc_data = .);
    KEEP(*(.svc_data))
    PROVIDE(__stop_svc_data = .);
  } > FLASH
  .sdh_ble_observers :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_sdh_ble_observers = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.sdh_ble_observers*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_sdh_ble_observers = .);
  } > FLASH
  .sdh_state_observers :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_sdh_state_observers = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.sdh_state_observers*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_sdh_state_observers = .);
  } > FLASH
  .sdh_stack_observers :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_sdh_stack_observers = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.sdh_stack_observers*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_sdh_stack_observers = .);
  } > FLASH
  .sdh_req_observers :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_sdh_req_observers = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.sdh_req_observers*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_sdh_req_observers = .);
  } > FLASH
  .sdh_soc_observers :
  {
    PROVIDE(__start_sdh_soc_observers = .);
    KEEP(*(SORT(.sdh_soc_observers*)))
    PROVIDE(__stop_sdh_soc_observers = .);
  } > FLASH

} INSERT AFTER .text

INCLUDE "nrf_common.ld"

I have tried flashing BL+SD, and it does advertise. 

I also tried BL+SD+Settings+ APP, and Bootloader advertises in this occasion too, when i switch it using a button, to put it into bootloader mode.

And, i ALSO tried SD+APP, and the application works.

The problem is, when the application is flashed along with the bootloader, it does not advertise, i can still see the blue LED, (but it does not blink, which is how i know whether it is advertising or not).   

[Marjeris Romero]

Hi,

Firstly, you should use the nRF Connect app to see if the device is advertising or not, the LED not blinking can be a consequence of something else. You should check if the device is advertising in bootloader mode.

You can also enable the logging option via RTT and copy the logs in here.

You should also not do a reset in each programming stage, just run a single reset at the end and see if that helps.

Best Regards,

Marjeris