Flashing Firmware for Nordic Thingy52

[Weiqi Wang]

Hello,

 

How do you flash custom firmware into the Nordic Thingy 52? The Thingy doesn’t reflect changes that I make to the firmware files and instead just turns off the LED entirely.

 

• To debug this issue, I’ve been trying to erase the contents of the Nordic Thingy 52 using nRF Connect (as mentioned in https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fug_gsg_keil%2FUG%2Fgsg%2Ferase_board.html) and flash it with new custom firmware. I was able to erase the contents successfully. Unfortunately, I was unable to download custom firmware onto it through Segger (Thingy was connected to the nRF52DK which was connected to my PC). 

 

• I have tried this on two separate Thingy devices as well and they both result in the LED turning off and the device showing no indication of functioning.

 

• I have also tried compiling and flashing firmware through makefiles (using make -j) and through Keil. I’ve only ever had SES work out for me and the other two just turned off the LED and made the Thingy unresponsive.

 

I would appreciate any help with debugging this through SES so I can modify the firmware and flash custom firmware into the Thingy.

 

Thank you.

[Vidar Berg]

Hello,

The Thingy may get stuck in Bootloader DFU mode if you only program the application code because the CRC used for boot validation will no longer match the computed CRC of the new application. However, this won't be a problem if you already erased everything first. Maybe you forgot to program the Softdevice? Please try to run "make flash_softdevice && make flash"

Note that you can restore the Thingy back to normal by programming the original hex files which are available on the product page here: https://www.nordicsemi.com/Software-and-tools/Prototyping-platforms/Nordic-Thingy-52/Download#infotabs

[Weiqi Wang]

Hello, 

Regarding the Bootloader DFU issue you mentioned, I don’t think this is the problem, since I have already erased everything in the Thingy device first.

I’ve already tried programming the Softdevice, but when I ran the following command: "make flash_softdevice && make flash", I wasn’t able to find the flash_softdevice make file  in my repositories. I have already checked the official github page as well, and have been unable to find it. Can you direct me to where I would be able to find that specified make file?

Thanks.

[Vidar Berg]

Hello,

The "flash_softdevice" target should be included in the project makefile. Here from Nordic Thingy FW v2.2.0: https://github.com/NordicSemiconductor/Nordic-Thingy52-FW/blob/126120108879d5bf5d202c9d5cab65e4e9041f58/project/pca20020_s132/armgcc/Makefile#L407

Edit: I just noticed that "flash_softdevice" use nrfjprog with the --chiperase option which means the chip will be fully erased before the Softdevice is loaded. So you either need to make sure you program the softdevice first, or that you replace --chiperase with the --sectorerase option.