nRF Connect v3.2.0 issue for nFR9160

[Dheeraj]

Hi, 

I am new to Nordic Thingy91.

I have tried to connect Nordic Thingy91 (nRF9160) device using "nRF connect v3.2.0", via USB.
But I am facing, below issue.

Issue 1: "unsupported device: the detected device could not be recognized as neither jlink device nor nordic USB device for windows 10"

Tried: I have tried installing different versions of J-Link from below:
www.segger.com/.../
(Tried with: 6.22g,e 6.50e, etc.,)

But no luck, and below issue is seen,

Issue 2: "unsupported device with serial number PCA_20035_d081421f4d65 and trails ["serialport"]"

Is JTAG necessary to flash/program the "nRF9160" and "nRF52840"..?

Host Machine Details (Where I am trying to flash/Program the nRF9160):
Windows 10
nRF Connect v3.2.0

NOTE: Apart from nRF Connect v3.2.0, I didn't installed any tools in windows 10 machine.
I have a Nordic Thingy91 development environment (including SEGGER) in a different machine. Planing to use windows 10 to flash/program the nRF9160 remotely.

I was able to successfully compile and generate the binary (Ex: Asset tracking) in the development environment.

Please direct me to the correct path, whether I am missing anything on Windows 10 machine to flash/program the nRF9160.

Thank you for your help.

[Didrik Rokhaug]

Hi.

There are two ways to program the Thingy:91:

1. With an external debugger. E.g. you can connect an SWD cable between the "Debug out" header on an nRF91 DK and the 10-pin connector on the Thingy. Then in the programmer app, you must select the nRF91 DK.

2. Using MCUBoot. For more information see this guide: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/nordic/cellular-iot-guides/b/getting-started-cellular/posts/thingy91_2d00_fw_2d00_update_2d00_mcuboot

Best regards,

Didrik

[Dheeraj]

Hi Didrik, 

Thank you for the quick reply. 

As I mentioned in the above description, I am getting errors (Issue1 & 2) "unsupported device...",  while connecting the nRF9160 using "nRF Connect v3.2.0". Please refer to the screenshot attached. 

The connection was NOT successful between the Host machine and nRF9160 DK to flash/program it, 

Could you please help with this. 

[Didrik Rokhaug]

Hi.

Firmware update of the nRF52840 on the Thingy:91 using MCUBoot does not seem to work on Windows 10 with the default firmware.

However, the version that is on the 1.1-branch is working.

So, at the moment you are in a catch-22 situation: You must update the firmware to make MCUBoot work, but you must make MCUBoot work to be able to update the firmware.

I am looking into other possible fixes.

Best regards,

Didrik

[Dheeraj]

Ok. Thank you. 

Can you please refer pre-compiled Images (Firmware) for nRF52840 (PCA20035).

[Didrik Rokhaug]

https://www.nordicsemi.com/Software-and-Tools/Prototyping-platforms/Nordic-Thingy-91/Download#infotabs

The zip file contains both hex files and bin files for MCUBoot dfu.

[Dheeraj]

Hi,

As per the directions above, I have checked out the v1.1.0 branch and built a sample code as follows.

cd ncs/nrf
git checkout -b v1.1.0
git branch

master

* v1.1.0 ==> I am in v1.1.0 branch.

cd ncs/nrf/samples/usb/usb_uart
west build -b nrf52840_pca20035

--> Build was success, and I am ready to burn the nRF52840 (PCA20035) with app_update.bin/merged.hex on thingy91 device using "mcumgr" (mcumgr --conntype=serial --connstring=COM image upload <image>).

--> But, could you please let me know, is there any possible way that I can bring back nRF52840, if MCUBoot flash fails with "mcumgr"...!!

As I don't have nRF DK(pca10090)/JLink to bring it back externally.

Thank you. 

[Didrik Rokhaug]

Dheeraj said:

I am ready to burn the nRF52840 (PCA20035) with app_update.bin/merged.hex on thingy91 device using "mcumgr"

 As I have said, due to driver issues on Windows 10, I do not believe you will be successful. However, you can try to power on the Thingy:91 (while connected to your computer of course) while holding SW4 (the tiny white button). If it appears in the Windows Device Manager as "MCUBOOT" with a small orange triangle on (see picture), you will not be able to update the firmware using MCUBoot/mcumgr.

 

Dheeraj said:

is there any possible way that I can bring back nRF52840, if MCUBoot flash fails with "mcumgr"

 If the flashing with mcumgr fails, you have probably not done anything to the firmware on the 52840, so there is nothing to worry about. If you flash firmware to the 52840 (or the 9160) without MCUBoot, you will not be able to revert without an external programmer. If you have an nRF52 DK, you can use it to recover the 52840 on the Thingy:91, but it not work on the nRF9160.

[Dheeraj]

Hi, 

Yes. I have followed the above practice and observed the same behavior. As suggested I did NOT attempt to flash nRF52840 on Thingy1 (PCA20035) device using "mcumgr" . 

But I am trying to install the driver related to MCUBoot. But it was NOT successful.

This is a road BLOCK for me. 

Any other recommendations on this...? How can I proceed further ..? as I am planning to perform a few development activities on the Thingy91 (PCA20035) device.  

Thank you. 

  

[Didrik Rokhaug]

I am still trying to find a workaround for Windows.

For now, I have two suggestions:

1. If you have an nRF52 DK, you can use it to program the nRF52840 on the Thingy:91 (note that you can not use the nRF52DK to program the nRF9160).

2. You can try to program using mcumgr from a Linux computer.

[Dheeraj]

Sure. Thank you for your help.

[Dheeraj]

Didrik Rokhaug said:

1. If you have an nRF52 DK, you can use it to program the nRF52840 on the Thingy:91 (note that you can not use the nRF52DK to program the nRF9160).

From " www.nordicsemi.com/.../nRF52-DK "

The nRF52 DK: is a versatile single-board development kit for Bluetooth 5, Bluetooth mesh, NFC, ANT and 2.4 GHz proprietary applications on the nRF52810 and nRF52832 SoCs.

** I did NOT see that nRF52 DK supports nRF52840 SoC. Let me know, how I can use nRF52 DK to program the nRF52840 on thingy91 (PCA20035). 

1. Are you trying to refer to "  nRF52840 DK  "   (https://www.nordicsemi.com/Software-and-tools/Development-Kits/nRF52840-DK/GetStarted#infotabs)..?? 

2. What is the use of  " nRF9160 DK ", (https://www.nordicsemi.com/Software-and-Tools/Development-Kits/nRF9160-DK/Download)

where this supports both nRF9160 SiP and nRF52840 SoC..?  

Thank you.