How to configure bootloader in order to update also softdevice via BLE and UART?

[dancpi]

Hello,

I'm developing a solution based on nrf52832 that must be maintained for many years. I want to update my application but also softdevice.

I managed to implement an hybrid bootloader (BLE + UART) and it works flawlessly while updating my application. I wonder how to update also the softdevice.

Do I need to change the linker flash areas to ensure a bigger softdevice would fit in future? My actual linker configuration for bootloader and application is the following:

• BOOTLOADER

  FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x76000, LENGTH = 0x8000 RAM (rwx) : ORIGIN = 0x200057b8, LENGTH = 0xa848 mbr_params_page (r) : ORIGIN = 0x0007E000, LENGTH = 0x1000 bootloader_settings_page (r) : ORIGIN = 0x0007F000, LENGTH = 0x1000

• APPLICATION

  FLASH (rx) : ORIGIN = 0x26000, LENGTH = 0x50000 RAM (rwx) : ORIGIN = 0x20004000, LENGTH = 0xc000

I've tried to move the flash origin of my applicative to something like 0x29000 with length = 0x4D000 but when i flash all the hex files (application + softdevice + bootloader + configuration generated with nrfutil), the bootloader doesn't work.

[dancpi]

Update: I've managed to update the softdevice with the following command:

./nrfutil pkg generate --hw-version 52 --softdevice .\s132_nrf52_6.1.1_softdevice.hex --sd-id 0xB7 --key-file .\private.key sd_update_package_6.1.1.zip

Is it ensured that the size of softdevice will not increase in the next releases? At least for the same major number?

[Øyvind]

Hello,

dancpi said:

Is it ensured that the size of softdevice will not increase in the next releases? At least for the same major number?

Within version 6 of the SoftDevice, the size will not change. But a major release i.e. version 7 there might be an increase in size, but it may as well not increase in size.

Best regards,

Oeyvind

[dancpi]

Ok, thank you.

So, i don't need to allocate more space for the softdevice. But why the bootloader doesn't work if i change the FLASH start address (along with the length) on my application's linker? for example 0x30000 instead of 0x26000 ?

Do i need to change this start address in some other point of the code to make the bootloader recognise my application? Even without bootloader (so with just softdevice and application) i cannot make it work.

[Øyvind]

Hello,

Have a look here. Seems to me that you may have configured the bootloader incorrect, best case is not to touch the memory allocation. Between every time you flash the bootloader, make sure you erase the UICR by issuing an erase all (nrfjprog -e).

Best regards,
Oeyvind