DFU on custom board, memory problem

[Fikri Saman]

Hello,

Currently, I'm trying to flash my custom board that has nRF52832 with an uart application that I integrated buttonless DFU. I'm running into a problem where when I try to flash my hex file that has the following combination :

• Softdevice
• Bootloader
• Application
• Bootloader setting

I got the following error :

"ERROR: The file specified is not a valid hex file, has data outside valid areas"

"ERROR: or does not have data in valid areas."

From what I understand, it is an error on the memory side where my program might have passed its limit. But I don't know how to fix it. I'm not sure the type of model of my nRF52832, but on nRF Connect, it says that it is NRF52832_xxAB_REV1, Core RAM: 32KiB and Core ROM: 256KiB in pages of 4KiB. I'm using SES with SDK 16.0.0

[Fikri Saman]

For the debug bootloader, do I have to modify the section placement macros like in the example that you provided me?

I also have another weird remark. With the previous application, if I don't have RTT Viewer on, it will not update successfully. But when I have RTT Viewer to see the log, it succeeds in doing the DFU. Is that normal?

[Edvin]

Hello,

Yes, you would have to modify the project settings. Look at the settings found in the project that I sent. 

 

Fikri Saman said:

I also have another weird remark. With the previous application, if I don't have RTT Viewer on, it will not update successfully. But when I have RTT Viewer to see the log, it succeeds in doing the DFU. Is that normal?

 Does this mean that you are doing a debug session in SES, or that you only close RTT viewer opened externally?

The RTT viewer itself shouldn't matter, but if you run a debug session, that may affect the CLOCK. What is your clock configuration by the way? Do you have an external LFXTAL? I don't think I asked what kind of HW you are running this on.

BR,

Edvin

[Fikri Saman]

I modified the bootloader_debug with the settings that you sent me before and got the following errors :

Edvin said:

Does this mean that you are doing a debug session in SES, or that you only close RTT viewer opened externally?

I actually don't know how to debug the bootloader via SES, that's why I used RTT viewer. It would be nice if you could point me in the right direction to debug with SES, please.

Edvin said:

What is your clock configuration by the way? Do you have an external LFXTAL? I don't think I asked what kind of HW you are running this on.

I don't think I understand what you're demanding. Are you asking about my custom board or the equipment I used to program my custom board?

[Edvin]

Fikri Saman said:

I modified the bootloader_debug with the settings that you sent me before and got the following errors :

 What does your flash_placement.xml look like? And what does your project settings->Code->build->memory Segments setting look like? And what does your project settings->Code->linker->Section Placement Macros look like?

And for the two last ones, remember to select "Common" before checking them:

 

Fikri Saman said:

I don't think I understand what you're demanding. Are you asking about my custom board or the equipment I used to program my custom board?

 I am asking about your custom board. Does it contain an LFXTAL? That would be the X2 in this figure:

To run a debug session:

If you set NRF_FPRINTF_FLAG_AUTOMATIC_CR_ON_LF_ENABLED to 0 in sdk_config, you will get the RTT output in Segger Embedded Studio.

Best regards,

Edvin

[Fikri Saman]

Here are my Section Placement Macros :

My flash_placement.xml :

Fullscreen 0272.flash_placement.xml Download

<!DOCTYPE Linker_Placement_File>
<Root name="Flash Section Placement">
  <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" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".log_const_data" inputsections="*(SORT(.log_const_data*))" address_symbol="__start_log_const_data" end_symbol="__stop_log_const_data" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".nrf_balloc" inputsections="*(.nrf_balloc*)" address_symbol="__start_nrf_balloc" end_symbol="__stop_nrf_balloc" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".log_backends" inputsections="*(SORT(.log_backends*))" address_symbol="__start_log_backends" end_symbol="__stop_log_backends" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".sdh_ble_observers" inputsections="*(SORT(.sdh_ble_observers*))" address_symbol="__start_sdh_ble_observers" end_symbol="__stop_sdh_ble_observers" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".sdh_state_observers" inputsections="*(SORT(.sdh_state_observers*))" address_symbol="__start_sdh_state_observers" end_symbol="__stop_sdh_state_observers" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".sdh_stack_observers" inputsections="*(SORT(.sdh_stack_observers*))" address_symbol="__start_sdh_stack_observers" end_symbol="__stop_sdh_stack_observers" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".sdh_req_observers" inputsections="*(SORT(.sdh_req_observers*))" address_symbol="__start_sdh_req_observers" end_symbol="__stop_sdh_req_observers" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".sdh_soc_observers" inputsections="*(SORT(.sdh_soc_observers*))" address_symbol="__start_sdh_soc_observers" end_symbol="__stop_sdh_soc_observers" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".nrf_sections" address_symbol="__start_nrf_sections" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".log_dynamic_data"  inputsections="*(SORT(.log_dynamic_data*))" runin=".log_dynamic_data_run"/>
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".log_filter_data"  inputsections="*(SORT(.log_filter_data*))" runin=".log_filter_data_run"/>
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="Yes" name=".fs_data"  inputsections="*(.fs_data*)" runin=".fs_data_run"/>
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".dtors" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".ctors" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".rodata" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" name=".ARM.exidx" address_symbol="__exidx_start" end_symbol="__exidx_end" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" runin=".fast_run" name=".fast" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" runin=".data_run" name=".data" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="Yes" runin=".tdata_run" name=".tdata" />
  </MemorySegment>
  <MemorySegment name="RAM" start="$(RAM_PH_START)" size="$(RAM_PH_SIZE)">
    <ProgramSection load="no" name=".reserved_ram" start="$(RAM_PH_START)" size="$(RAM_START)-$(RAM_PH_START)" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="0x100" load="No" name=".vectors_ram" start="$(RAM_START)" address_symbol="__app_ram_start__"/>
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".nrf_sections_run" address_symbol="__start_nrf_sections_run" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".log_dynamic_data_run" address_symbol="__start_log_dynamic_data" end_symbol="__stop_log_dynamic_data" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".log_filter_data_run" address_symbol="__start_log_filter_data" end_symbol="__stop_log_filter_data" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".fs_data_run" address_symbol="__start_fs_data" end_symbol="__stop_fs_data" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" keep="Yes" load="No" name=".nrf_sections_run_end" address_symbol="__end_nrf_sections_run" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="No" name=".fast_run" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="No" name=".data_run" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="No" name=".tdata_run" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="No" name=".bss" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="No" name=".tbss" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" load="No" name=".non_init" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="4" size="__HEAPSIZE__" load="No" name=".heap" />
    <ProgramSection alignment="8" size="__STACKSIZE__" load="No" place_from_segment_end="Yes" name=".stack"  address_symbol="__StackLimit" end_symbol="__StackTop"/>
    <ProgramSection alignment="8" size="__STACKSIZE_PROCESS__" load="No" name=".stack_process" />
  </MemorySegment>
  <MemorySegment name="bootloader_settings_page" start="0x0003F000" 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 = "0x0003F000" size="0x1000" />
  </MemorySegment>
  <MemorySegment name="mbr_params_page" start="0x0003E000" 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 = "0x0003E000" size="0x1000" />
  </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>
  <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>
</Root>

My memory segments :

FLASH RX 0x0 0x40000;RAM RWX 0x20000000 0x8000;uicr_bootloader_start_address RX 0x10001014 0x4;bootloader_settings_page RX 0x0003F000 0x1000;uicr_mbr_params_page RX 0x10001018 0x4;mbr_params_page RX 0x0003E000 0x1000

They are all the same as the ones you sent me before and yet I still have these errors :

Edvin said:

Does it contain an LFXTAL?

Yes, it does contain an LFXTAL.

Concerning the debug session, if I run a debug session, wouldn't it erase the current program on my custom board? And which program do I have to run the debug session since there are the bootloader and the main application on my custom board