Programming Nordic Thingy:91

[jrew]

Hello,

I have some trouble programming nRF Thingy:91 and therefore would like to ask some questions about possibilities to flash the devices:

1) It is not possible to program nRF9160 on Thingy:91 from nRF52840-DK, because it's from older generation (ARMv7, https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/51799/programming-thingy-91)

but is it possible to program nRF52840 on Thingy:91 from nRF52840-DK?

2) Considering aforementioned reasons, it should be possible to program nRF9160 on Thingy:91 from nRF5340-PDK. Is that true?

Unfortunately anything I try to do ends with nRF Connect (nrjfprog shows similar) showing such error message:

Could not fetch memory size of target devkit: Error: Error occured when get library info. Errorcode: CouldNotOpenDevice (0x4) Lowlevel error: JLINKARM_DLL_ERROR (ffffff9a)

I can program nRF9160 via USB using MCUboot, but that's not the same.

Any clue what I might be doing wrong?

[Martin Lesund]

Hi jrew,

That's correct, the programmer chip on nRF52840 DK cannot flash the nRF9160 since it has an M33 architecture. (You should be able to program the nrf52840 on the THingy:91 using the nrf52840DK, jsut make sure you have the switch on the Thingy to nrf52) 

However, the nRF5340-PDK has an updated programmer chip that supports that architecture so there should be no issues using that on the Thingy:91. 

I just verified that it worked: (please share the log output if you have any issues)

2020-08-12T12:22:41.662Z INFO Application data folder: C:\Users\male\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2020-08-12T12:22:41.738Z DEBUG App pc-nrfconnect-programmer v1.4.4 official
2020-08-12T12:22:41.738Z DEBUG App path: C:\Users\male\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
2020-08-12T12:22:41.738Z DEBUG nRFConnect 3.4.2 is supported by the app (^3.3.0)
2020-08-12T12:22:41.738Z DEBUG nRFConnect path: C:\Users\male\AppData\Local\Programs\nrfconnect\resources\app.asar
2020-08-12T12:22:41.738Z DEBUG HomeDir: C:\Users\male
2020-08-12T12:22:41.738Z DEBUG TmpDir: C:\Users\male\AppData\Local\Temp
2020-08-12T12:22:41.750Z INFO Using nrfjprog library 10.9.0, pc-nrfjprog-js 1.7.3
2020-08-12T12:22:41.754Z VERBOSE Could not fetch serial number for serial port at COM1
2020-08-12T12:22:41.754Z VERBOSE Could not fetch serial number for serial port at COM3
2020-08-12T12:22:54.371Z INFO Using nrfjprog to communicate with target
2020-08-12T12:22:54.938Z INFO Using J-Link Software version 6.80
2020-08-12T12:22:55.754Z INFO Segger serial:  960187689
2020-08-12T12:22:55.754Z INFO Segger speed:  2000  kHz
2020-08-12T12:22:55.754Z INFO Segger version:  J-Link OB-K22-NordicSemi compiled Jan 21 2020 17:33:01
2020-08-12T12:22:55.760Z INFO Core probed: 960187689.
2020-08-12T12:22:55.760Z INFO Core RAM: 256KiB.
2020-08-12T12:22:55.760Z INFO Core ROM: 1024KiB in pages of 4KiB.
2020-08-12T12:22:56.052Z INFO Model: NRF9160_xxAA_REV1.
2020-08-12T12:22:56.594Z INFO Core0: Reading device non-volatile memory. This may take a few seconds.
2020-08-12T12:22:56.789Z INFO Core0: UICR has been read. Click read button to read full non-volatile memory.
2020-08-12T12:23:34.286Z INFO Parsing HEX file:  C:\Users\male\Desktop\nRF91\PRECOMPILED\thingy91_fw_2020-04-29_bc7ade8b\images_full\thingy91_ltem_2020-04-29_bc7ade8b.hex
2020-08-12T12:23:34.303Z INFO File was last modified at  7/29/2020, 4:13:07 PM
2020-08-12T12:23:38.671Z INFO Recovery procedure finished
2020-08-12T12:23:38.675Z INFO Using nrfjprog to communicate with target
2020-08-12T12:23:39.343Z INFO Using J-Link Software version 6.80
2020-08-12T12:23:40.150Z INFO Segger serial:  960187689
2020-08-12T12:23:40.150Z INFO Segger speed:  2000  kHz
2020-08-12T12:23:40.150Z INFO Segger version:  J-Link OB-K22-NordicSemi compiled Jan 21 2020 17:33:01
2020-08-12T12:23:40.157Z INFO Core probed: 960187689.
2020-08-12T12:23:40.157Z INFO Core RAM: 256KiB.
2020-08-12T12:23:40.157Z INFO Core ROM: 1024KiB in pages of 4KiB.
2020-08-12T12:23:40.449Z INFO Model: NRF9160_xxAA_REV1.
2020-08-12T12:23:40.980Z INFO Core0: Reading device non-volatile memory. This may take a few seconds.
2020-08-12T12:23:41.175Z INFO Core0: UICR has been read. Click read button to read full non-volatile memory.
2020-08-12T12:23:41.321Z INFO Writing procedure starts for core0
2020-08-12T12:24:06.253Z INFO Write procedure finished
2020-08-12T12:24:06.254Z INFO Using nrfjprog to communicate with target
2020-08-12T12:24:06.815Z INFO Using J-Link Software version 6.80
2020-08-12T12:24:07.669Z INFO Segger serial:  960187689
2020-08-12T12:24:07.669Z INFO Segger speed:  2000  kHz
2020-08-12T12:24:07.669Z INFO Segger version:  J-Link OB-K22-NordicSemi compiled Jan 21 2020 17:33:01
2020-08-12T12:24:07.675Z INFO Core probed: 960187689.
2020-08-12T12:24:07.676Z INFO Core RAM: 256KiB.
2020-08-12T12:24:07.676Z INFO Core ROM: 1024KiB in pages of 4KiB.
2020-08-12T12:24:07.968Z INFO Model: NRF9160_xxAA_REV1.
2020-08-12T12:24:08.527Z INFO Core0: Reading device non-volatile memory. This may take a few seconds.
2020-08-12T12:24:08.721Z INFO Core0: UICR has been read. Click read button to read full non-volatile memory.
2020-08-12T12:24:21.035Z INFO Target device closed.

Please make sure you have the latest Jlink drivers etc. (check via cmd: 'nrfjprog -v')

[jrew]

Dear Martin,

I have discovered the reason for my issues. Unfortunately both IDC 10-pin cables I have bought are faulty. I've managed to find another one that works and I can verify that:

• It is possible to program nRF52840 on Thingy:91 from nRF52840-DK and nRF5340-PDK.
• It is possible to program nRF9160 on Thingy:91 from nRF5340-PDK.

Thanks for your help,

Best regards!