Flash erase fails on NRF52832CIAA (chip used in the Murata MBN52832 module)

[razvan1t]

Hi,

I have a custom implemented DFU that I used in many nRF52832 designs. 

This one in particular fails when I am calling  nrf_fstorage_erase. I am trying to erase 40 pages at once, starting at address 0x50000

The function returns success but it hangs and after a while I get this error

<error> app: ERROR 4 [NRF_ERROR_NO_MEM] at ../../../../lib/nRF5_SDK_15.3.0_59ac345/components/libraries/1
PC at: 0x0002E071
<error> app: End of error report

I thing the whole system froze and that is caused by timers piling up in some internal queue (just a guess).

The root cause of the problem is erasing the flash.

Also, very interestingly, the same code works flawlessly on the NRF52832-DK board.

It fails on the Murata module, which contains the nrf52832-CIAA chip.

Maybe you guys can help me determine this chip model exactly.

the FICR INFO.VARIANT register ix 0x41414531 but that exact code is not in the datasheet.

I would appreciate a solution to this problem.

Raz

[razvan1t]

           if (swap_erase_page(0, swap_get_page_count(), swap_erase_callback) == NRF_SUCCESS)

                    return;     //we do not send the response at this time

                else

                    response_code = BLE_RSP_ERROR;  

          

It gets called in the main() loop since I am using the scheduler. I also give it a callback that gets called when nrf_erase finishes.

ret_code_t swap_erase_page(uint32_t page, uint32_t count, swap_callback_t callback)

{

    APP_ERROR_CHECK_BOOL(callback != 0);

    APP_ERROR_CHECK_BOOL(page < SWAP_PAGE_COUNT);

    NRF_LOG_DEBUG("SWAP ERASE: %u", count);

    l_swap_callback = callback;

    return nrf_fstorage_erase(&swap_fstorage_instance, swap_fstorage_instance.start_addr + page * SWAP_PAGE_SIZE, count, NULL);

}

This code works in as few designs using the nrf52832 in the QFN package. It fails on CIAA

[bjorn-spockeli]

The count variable passed to nrf_fstorage_erase in swap_erase_page, is this 50? Do you see a difference if you divide the erase operation into smaller ones, i.e. two 25 page erases or five 10page erases?

Best regards

Bjørn

[razvan1t]

Nope. It only works if count is 1.

[razvan1t]

Is there any difference between the CIAA chip and the others?

[bjorn-spockeli]

The QFN and CSP packages have the same silicon die so there should not be any functional difference between the two package variants. 

razvan1t said:

Nope. It only works if count is 1.

 Ok, so calling nrf_fstorage_erase() with len > 1 results in NRF_ERROR_NO_MEM being returned? Or does it just hang?

What is NRF_FSTORAGE_SD_QUEUE_SIZE defined to in sdk_config.h?

Best regards

Bjørn

[razvan1t]

The call returns NRF_SUCCESS but hangs and after some time I get the error I attached at the beginning. I think because it's blocking something internally. 

[bjorn-spockeli]

Oh, so its not nrf_fstorage_erase that returns NRF_ERROR_NO_MEM, its another function. I see now that you stated this in the original question.  Which function is located at 0x0002E071? 

[razvan1t]

the NO_MEM... error comes from app_timer.c at line 445

I also just discovered that another project that is similar runs well... I will have to see what is different between them.

It's weird though that even the one that is not working it runs on the NRF52832-DK but not on the Murata module.

Maybe the lack of RTC crystal? I am using SYNTH though.