uicr_mbr_params_page and uicr_bootloader_start_address overwrite the beginning of the softdevice.

[paul]

Hi,

      I am running SDK 15.3, nRF52840 on a custom board, Softdevice 6.1.1 and SES.

When running the secure dfu example I find that the two segments uicr_mbr_params_page and uicr_bootloader_start_address overwrite the beginning of  the softdevice. nrfConnect programmer stops identifying the softdevice - turns black - and shows it as one contiguous segment at a larger size.

nrf_dfu_mbr_init_sd returns 0x7  which is NRF_ERROR_INVALID_PARAM  which in turn is returned by sd_mbr_command which is documented as  "NRF_ERROR_INVALID_PARAM if an invalid command is given." This I am interpreting as an indication that the softdevice can't be run.

I have tried moving these two segments back to their former locations - as mentioned to solve the same issue with GCC 

<MemorySegment name="mbr_params_page" start="0x000FE000" size="0x1000">
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".mbr_params_page" address_symbol="__start_mbr_params_page" end_symbol="__stop_mbr_params_page" start = "0x000FE000" size="0x1000" />
  </MemorySegment>
  <MemorySegment name="bootloader_settings_page" start="0x000FF000" size="0x1000">
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".bootloader_settings_page" address_symbol="__start_bootloader_settings_page" end_symbol="__stop_bootloader_settings_page" start = "0x000FF000" size="0x1000" />
  </MemorySegment>
  <MemorySegment name="uicr_mbr_params_page" start="0x10001018" size="0x4">
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".uicr_mbr_params_page" address_symbol="__start_uicr_mbr_params_page" end_symbol="__stop_uicr_mbr_params_page" start = "0x10001018" size="0x4" />
  </MemorySegment>
  <MemorySegment name="uicr_bootloader_start_address" start="0x10001014" size="0x4">
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".uicr_bootloader_start_address" address_symbol="__start_uicr_bootloader_start_address" end_symbol="__stop_uicr_bootloader_start_address" start = "0x10001014" size="0x4" />
  </MemorySegment>

However that causes an unplaced sections overflow for .init in elf. Flash placement does include .init but doesn't specify a location.

<MemorySegment name="FLASH" start="$(FLASH_PH_START)" size="$(FLASH_PH_SIZE)">
    <ProgramSection load="no" name=".reserved_flash" start="$(FLASH_PH_START)" size="$(FLASH_START)-$(FLASH_PH_START)" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="0x100" load="Yes" name=".vectors" start="$(FLASH_START)" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".init" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".init_rodata" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".text" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".crypto_data" inputsections="*(SORT(.crypto_data*))" address_symbol="__start_crypto_data" end_symbol="__stop_crypto_data" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".nrf_queue" inputsections="*(.nrf_queue*)" address_symbol="__start_nrf_queue" end_symbol="__stop_nrf_queue" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".dfu_trans" inputsections="*(SORT(.dfu_trans*))" address_symbol="__start_dfu_trans" end_symbol="__stop_dfu_trans" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".svc_data" inputsections="*(.svc_data*)" address_symbol="__start_svc_data" end_symbol="__stop_svc_data" />

The primary problem I want to fix is that softdevice isn't working. I am happy to try and fix the unplaced sections overflow or to fix the soft device over write whichever the wise heads suggest.

Many thanks in advance

Paul