Large * .bin bootloader output file

[Proton]

Hello!
I need to migrate the loader project from SDK15.3 to 16.0.
The SES project parameters are as follows:

FLASH_PH_START = 0x0
FLASH_PH_SIZE = 0x80000
RAM_PH_START = 0x20000000
RAM_PH_SIZE = 0x10000
FLASH_START = 0x65000
FLASH_SIZE = 0x11200
RAM_START = 0x20002ad8
RAM_SIZE = 0xd528

In SDK 16/17 in the file nrf_mbr.h I see this
#define MBR_BOOTLOADER_ADDR (0xFF8)
#define MBR_PARAM_PAGE_ADDR (0xFFC)
I also see in the nrf_bootloader_info.c file
#define UICR_BOOTLOADER_ADDR 0x10001014
But it is not used in the __SES_ARM compiler

And here the fun begins. If the flash_placement.xml file for SDK 15
name = "uicr_bootloader_start_address" start = "0xFF8"
name = "uicr_mbr_params_page" start = "0xFFC"
and I leave these values, then the size of the output * .bin file is normal - 45 KB (of course, it does not work, most likely mbr is overwritten), but if I enter new values ​​in the format of SDK 16/17
name = "uicr_bootloader_start_address" start = "0x10001014"
name = "uicr_mbr_params_page" start = "0x10001018"
Then I get the size of * .bin file 261 745 KB. Clearly a memory error.

What to do?

[Vidar Berg]

Hello,

Then I get the size of * .bin file 261 745 KB. Clearly a memory error.

This is as expected. *.bin files don't have any address records like intelhex files, so byte padding is needed to get address offsets. And there is a lot of padding needed when you have a start address in FLASH and end address in the UICR's memory range (0x10001018 = 262 148 kB).

[Proton]

Yes indeed. If we make an example of a Nordic loader as the output format * .bin, the same situation. I thought this was the problem on which Softdevice overwrites the MBR, which now seems questionable.

May I ask you to see my example of the simplest bootloader? The project should be placed in nrf5sdk16 \ examples \ ble_peripheral \
7573.Bootloader.zip

[Proton]

If in SES - Project Options - Linker I change from
FLASH RX 0x0 0x80000;RAM RWX 0x20000000 0x10000;uicr_bootloader_start_address RX 0x10001014 0x4;bootloader_settings_page RX 0x0007F000 0x1000;uicr_mbr_params_page RX 0x10001018 0x4;mbr_params_page RX 0x0007E000 0x1000
on
FLASH RX 0x0 0x80000; RAM RWX 0x20000000 0x10000;
then everything is recorded correctly, but the bootloader does not start

[Vidar Berg]

Hi,

Sorry, I'm not sure I understand what the issue is. I quickly tested the project you uploaded and the start addresses stored in UICR @ 0x10001014 does match the start address of your bootloader.

[Proton]

Yes, it is written there, but the bootloader does not start.
These addresses are empty, is that how they should be?

[Vidar Berg]

It is optional to store the addresses inside the MBR at 0xff8 and 0xffc, so you may skip this step.

The SVC_Handler is in your bootloader, so the bootloader is  definitely starting. The problem is that this interrupt should have been forwarded to the Softdevice, not the bootloader. To fix this you need to call nrf_dfu_mbr_init_sd() before making any SD API calls.

[Proton]

It's fine! Thank you so much for your time! It is working!!!
If someone suddenly comes to this thread with the same problem, you will still need to add
ret_val = sd_softdevice_vector_table_base_set (BOOTLOADER_START_ADDR);
VERIFY_SUCCESS (ret_val);
Good luck to all!