Bootloader and settings problem - gcc compiler

[Jenzo]

I have a custom board with an application that works fine. 

But when adding a secure bootloader my board starts to act weird. I am using the RESET pin on the chip as an input PIN. My chip resets every time the input is used when the app is run with the bootloader. But it works fine without the bootloader.

I am running SDK13 - Softdevice 4.0.5 on a nrf52832CIAA. 

I am compiling with gcc - both the app and bootloader. I have used nrfutil to create bootloader settings file. 

I have used merge-hex to merge the SD, app, Bootloader and settings-file.

All has been run on a MAC / OSX.

I have read somewhere on the Nordic DEVZONE that the gcc compiler places the settingsfile in the wrong place of the memory map. But I lack a good method of fixing it.

[Cyril]

Hello

did you take a look at the declaration of CONFIG_GPIO_AS_PINRESET in both your app and your bootloader?

Check the comment in system_nrf52.c:

/* Configure GPIO pads as pPin Reset pin if Pin Reset capabilities desired. If CONFIG_GPIO_AS_PINRESET is not
  defined, pin reset will not be available. One GPIO (see Product Specification to see which one) will then be
  reserved for PinReset and not available as normal GPIO. */

Best,

[Jenzo]

Hi Cyril,

I have defined the PIN reset to a normal GPIO. 

The app works fine. But the bootloader does not work. Strange, because both are using the same board file. 

regards

Jens

[Jenzo]

Hi Vidar,

Considering that my battery powered device with output pins that control a DC motor, what could be wrong with my hardware? meaning how can the bootloader reset my board / reconfigure the PO.21?

The board is working fine without the bootloader.

Regards
Jens

[Nguyen Hoan Hoang]

Is your bootloader compiled with the same system_nrf52.c as your firmware ? It looks like that the bootloader is compiled with pin reset enabled.

[Jenzo]

yes, the makefile refers to the same system_nrf52.c file:

  $(SDK_ROOT)/components/toolchain/system_nrf52.c \

[Vidar Berg]

It's whether or not you build with -DCONFIG_GPIO_AS_PINRESET that matters. 

Jenzo said:

Sorry, but the second time I power cycled the device it read this:

iMac:nrfjprog jenzo$ ./nrfjprog --memrd 0x40000400 --n 4

0x40000400: 00000000                              |....|

iMac:nrfjprog jenzo$

Is this consistent? I mean, does the reset register always read zero after a power cycle? Maybe you should give the program some time to run before you check the register. 

[Jenzo]

Got it!

The makefile did have the -DCONFIG_GPIO_AS_PINRESET. When it was erased from the makefile it works fine with the bootloader.

I am primarily using SES now, so I have happily forgot all about the makefile. Excuse me for that.

Thank you for a fantastic service.

Regards

Jens

[Vidar Berg]

Glad to hear that it works now, thanks for the update! I excluded this possibility after you confirmed that UICR.PSELRESET was not set, but it's written at runtime (implementation in system_nrf52) so guess you checked the register content before it had been set.