Thingy:91 update modem firmware seems to brick the device

[jkase]

I've been trying to get my 6 Thingy:91s up and running for months now, and the customer is getting really frustrated by the many delays.

I first went through a series of issues trying to get the SEG environment installed on my macOS machine, but I won't get into that.

I opted to use the nRF Cloud Console for gathering the information from the devices, and then connect to the nRF Cloud from our app server to retrieve the information for our console.  That seems to work.  I'm seeing sensor data from the devices -- accept for GPS information.

I've never seen GPS information from any of these devices.

Here is what I've done, so far:

• Updated the application firmware
• Devices work fine for all but GPS information -- which is the primary use of the devices
• Was told that an external GPS antenna and an adapter was necessary (post-purchase Errata).
• I purchased the Murata adapter and antennae, attached them.  This resulted in the same lack of GPS information.  At no point have I seen the blinking purple light go to blinking green on any of these 6 devices, whether inside or outside, with or without the GPS external antennae
• Today, my SWT cable arrived so I can update the modem firmware.
  • On device #1, I attached the cable between the nRF9160 DK and the Thingy:91, powered both on and opened the nRF Programmer app
  • Only one device is listed, so I selected that one
  • The instructions say to "Erase All", which I did
  • I clicked on the Update Modem button, selected the latest modem firmware, and clicked Write.
  • No indication on the Thingy, so I disconnected it and power-cycled.  Nothing.
  • I then plugged the device directly into the J-Link to update the application firmware as before.  The device is recognized, but when flashing the device it stops at Erasing, with a 5%, then fails.  When previously flashing, the first step showed a 25% completion before continuing successfully.
  • What do I do now?  Is the boot loader gone?
• Tried the same process on device #2, with the same results.

These are all your instructions, your hardware and your software tools, and they just don't work, not to mention the complete out-of-the-box failure.

I'm very close to telling the customer the Nordic hardware just doesn't work, and we'll need to look for an alternative.  The 6 devices represent just a proof of concept that will lead to significant increases in volume, but the none of it works, I have to look somewhere else.

--jeff

[Øyvind]

Hello Jeff, 

I'm really sorry to hear about the bad experience you are having with our Thingy:91. 

I first went through a series of issues trying to get the SEG environment installed on my macOS machine, but I won't get into that.

 I know there have been some issues with macOS, and we are working to solve this. If you are still having the issues, please generate a new DevZone ticket and we will help you solve this.

 

I opted to use the nRF Cloud Console for gathering the information from the devices, and then connect to the nRF Cloud from our app server to retrieve the information for our console.  That seems to work.  I'm seeing sensor data from the devices -- accept for GPS information.

 I assume you are using the application delivered with the Thingy:91, the Asset Tracker? In order to activate GPS, you must push and hold button 1 (SW3) for 10 seconds. Please see the documentation here and here

Today, my SWT cable arrived so I can update the modem firmware.

 What tutorial did you follow to update the modem FW? Updating the modem FW does not give any indications other than it will print modem FW in the e.g. LTE Link Monitor. Using Erase All will delete the application side of the Thingy:91, not the modem. This is to prevent UICR from causing issues.

Have you downloaded the Thingy:91 Precompiled Firmware package? It includes the following:

These files were built with nRF Connect SDK version v1.1.0
from repository at https://github.com/NordicPlayground/fw-nrfconnect-nrf

Full commit SHA: d3130d77559e2206a2541b09dd26e9be2f8532ed

Package contents:
images_full/      Full firmware images, updated over debug probe / development kit
images_dfu_hex/   Application images, updated over USB, HEX format
images_dfu_bin/   Application images, updated over USB, binary format

File                                                                       Description
-------------------------------------------------------------------------  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
images_dfu_bin/thingy91_at_client_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.bin              Firmware for direct modem communication
images_dfu_bin/thingy91_ltem_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.bin                   Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, LTE-M network mode
images_dfu_bin/thingy91_nbiot_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.bin                  Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode
images_dfu_bin/thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.bin       Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO mode
images_dfu_bin/thingy91_nrf52_usb_uart_bridge_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.bin  USB-UART bridge for nRF52840
images_dfu_hex/thingy91_at_client_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex              Firmware for direct modem communication
images_dfu_hex/thingy91_ltem_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex                   Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, LTE-M network mode
images_dfu_hex/thingy91_nbiot_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex                  Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode
images_dfu_hex/thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex       Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO mode
images_dfu_hex/thingy91_nrf52_usb_uart_bridge_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex  USB-UART bridge for nRF52840
images_full/thingy91_at_client_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex                     Firmware for direct modem communication
images_full/thingy91_ltem_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex                          Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, LTE-M network mode
images_full/thingy91_nbiot_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex                         Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode
images_full/thingy91_nbiot_legacy_pco_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex              Asset tracker firmware for nRF9160, NB-IoT network mode, legacy PCO mode
images_full/thingy91_nrf52_usb_uart_bridge_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex         USB-UART bridge for nRF52840
mfwnrf9160110.zip                                                          Modem firmware, updated through nRF Connect for Desktop

Can please use the programmer app and program images_full/thingy91_at_client_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex. Click add hex and add this file, then click erase and write to see if you can add this. If this was successful, please open LTE Link Monitor and connect your Thingy:91 to a USB cable. Your device should now show in the list of devices, click to connect. When connected, you should see the message "The AT host sample started" in the LTE Link Monitor. Please issue the command "AT+CFUN?"

Let me know how this works for you!

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[MJD093]

Also if you have the nRF9160 development kit, you could try flashing the kit with the GPS example and connect your external GPS antenna. You can then debug the enviroment you are in as this example code will display GPS satellite statistics to the Serial port, such as satellites visible and being used to lock your location.

This would allow you to rule out just a bad environment for GPS locking. Sounds like everything else is working on the Asset Tracker application but this one thing.

[Øyvind]

Yes, MJD093, has a good suggestion. Please try this as well.

-Øyvind