make flash runs fine but stop flashing sometimes

[Louis Hatte]

Hello everyone,

We are using the nrf52840 Dev Kit (PCA10056 1.1.0 2019.19 683465548)

SDK Version: 15.3

OS: Fedora

When we are using the command line "make flash" on our main project, the command execution works fine but the flashed program stay the old one.

This issue happens when we flash our main project after flashing an example project like the example/peripheral/blinky one.

Usually to solve this issue, we dragged and dropped the .hex file from our main project into JLINK. But today we need to flash it without drag and drop because we can't.

Any ideas?

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

What version of nrfjprog and JLink are you using? This can be viewed by calling "nrfjprog -v"

Latest version of nrfjprog is available here: https://www.nordicsemi.com/?sc_itemid=%7B56868165-9553-444D-AA57-15BDE1BF6B49%7D

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Louis Hatte]

Hi Häkon,

We are using JLinkARM.dll version: 6.46g

[Håkon Alseth]

And nrfjprog is the newest version, v10.2.1?

[Louis Hatte]

No, my nrfjprog version is 9.8.1

[Håkon Alseth]

Are you sure you are not flashing the "mbr" project? This one is flash offset with 0x1000, so if you have programmed the "blank" project prior, then this will still run.

Could you double check that you're programming the project "blank", located at this path:

../nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345/examples/peripheral/blinky/pca10056/blank

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Louis Hatte]

Yes I'm flashing in the blinky/pca10056/blank folder

[Håkon Alseth]

"make flash" will essentially do this:

nrfjprog -f nrf52 --program $(OUTPUT_DIRECTORY)/nrf52840_xxaa.hex --sectorerase
nrfjprog -f nrf52 --reset

You can add a --verify to ensure that the written content matches:

nrfjprog --program my.hex --sectorerase --verify --reset

Could you try this?

 

If it still does not work, what happens if you power-cycle the board? Does the firmware run as expected then?

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Louis Hatte]

Here it is:

nrfjprog --program _build/nrf52840_xxaa.hex --sectorerase --verify --reset
Parsing hex file.
Erasing page at address 0x26000.
Erasing page at address 0x27000.
Erasing page at address 0x28000.
Erasing page at address 0x29000.
Erasing page at address 0x2A000.
Erasing page at address 0x2B000.
Applying system reset.
Checking that the area to write is not protected.
Programming device.
Verifying programming.
Verified OK.
Applying system reset.
Run.

Verify OK but same issue even if I power-cycle the board.

The program run as the old flashed one until make erase.

But my main project is compiled in s140/ folder instead of blank/ folder in blinky example.

I don't know if it helps.

[Håkon Alseth]

You need to flash the softdevice as well.

Try this: "make flash_softdevice && make flash"

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Louis Hatte]

Flashing soft device as well works.

Thanks Häkon