How to update the MCUboot in nRF Connect on nRF52840DK

[RAS_ID]

Hi,

I press Button 1 and Reset to put the nRF52840 DK in to DFU mode that is programmed with a immutable bootloader (B0), mcuboot, and application. This works well to update the application (app_update.bin) using mcumgr over USB. However, during the mcuboot update (signed_by_mcuboot_and_b0_s1_image_update.bin), the application area is over-written and the application enters in a infinite loop after reset. I verified the over-write by reading the flash memory using the nRF programmer. 

Since mcumgr doesn't accept an address or slot parameter, I think the DFU mode is initialized with the application address. 

Are there different ways to enter the DFU mode to update the application and to update the mcuboot?

Thanks,

Ram

[Sigurd]

Hi,

 It's the Partition Manager that sets the start address in a multi-image build. See this link for more information: http://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/1.4.0/nrf/scripts/partition_manager/partition_manager.html

In your build folder, how does partitions_nrf52840dk_nrf52840.yml and pm_nrf52840dk_nrf52840.config look like ?

[RAS_ID]

Fullscreen pm.config Download

PM_B0_ADDRESS=0x0
PM_B0_SIZE=0x8000
PM_B0_NAME=b0
PM_B0_ID=0
PM_b0_ID=PM_B0_ID
PM_0_LABEL=B0
PM_B0_SPAN="b0_image provision"
PM_B0_IMAGE_ADDRESS=0x0
PM_B0_IMAGE_SIZE=0x7000
PM_B0_IMAGE_NAME=b0_image
PM_B0_IMAGE_ID=1
PM_b0_image_ID=PM_B0_IMAGE_ID
PM_1_LABEL=B0_IMAGE
PM_PROVISION_ADDRESS=0x7000
PM_PROVISION_SIZE=0x1000
PM_PROVISION_NAME=provision
PM_PROVISION_ID=2
PM_provision_ID=PM_PROVISION_ID
PM_2_LABEL=PROVISION
PM_S0_ADDRESS=0x8000
PM_S0_SIZE=0x10200
PM_S0_NAME=s0
PM_S0_ID=3
PM_s0_ID=PM_S0_ID
PM_3_LABEL=S0
PM_S0_SPAN="mcuboot s0_pad"
PM_S0_PAD_ADDRESS=0x8000
PM_S0_PAD_SIZE=0x200
PM_S0_PAD_NAME=s0_pad
PM_S0_PAD_ID=4
PM_s0_pad_ID=PM_S0_PAD_ID
PM_4_LABEL=S0_PAD
PM_MCUBOOT_ADDRESS=0x8200
PM_MCUBOOT_SIZE=0x10000
PM_MCUBOOT_NAME=mcuboot
PM_MCUBOOT_ID=5
PM_mcuboot_ID=PM_MCUBOOT_ID
PM_5_LABEL=MCUBOOT
PM_S0_IMAGE_ADDRESS=0x8200
PM_S0_IMAGE_SIZE=0x10000
PM_S0_IMAGE_NAME=s0_image
PM_S0_IMAGE_ID=6
PM_s0_image_ID=PM_S0_IMAGE_ID
PM_6_LABEL=S0_IMAGE
PM_S0_IMAGE_SPAN="mcuboot"
PM_EMPTY_0_ADDRESS=0x18200
PM_EMPTY_0_SIZE=0xe00
PM_EMPTY_0_NAME=EMPTY_0
PM_EMPTY_0_ID=7
PM_empty_0_ID=PM_EMPTY_0_ID
PM_7_LABEL=EMPTY_0
PM_S1_ADDRESS=0x19000
PM_S1_SIZE=0x10200
PM_S1_NAME=s1
PM_S1_ID=8
PM_s1_ID=PM_S1_ID
PM_8_LABEL=S1
PM_S1_SPAN="s1_pad s1_image"
PM_S1_PAD_ADDRESS=0x19000
PM_S1_PAD_SIZE=0x200
PM_S1_PAD_NAME=s1_pad
PM_S1_PAD_ID=9
PM_s1_pad_ID=PM_S1_PAD_ID
PM_9_LABEL=S1_PAD
PM_EMPTY_1_ADDRESS=0x19200
PM_EMPTY_1_SIZE=0xe00
PM_EMPTY_1_NAME=EMPTY_1
PM_EMPTY_1_ID=10
PM_empty_1_ID=PM_EMPTY_1_ID
PM_10_LABEL=EMPTY_1
PM_S1_IMAGE_ADDRESS=0x1a000
PM_S1_IMAGE_SIZE=0x10000
PM_S1_IMAGE_NAME=s1_image
PM_S1_IMAGE_ID=11
PM_s1_image_ID=PM_S1_IMAGE_ID
PM_11_LABEL=S1_IMAGE
PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_ADDRESS=0x2a000
PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_SIZE=0x200
PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_NAME=mcuboot_pad
PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_ID=12
PM_mcuboot_pad_ID=PM_MCUBOOT_PAD_ID
PM_12_LABEL=MCUBOOT_PAD
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_ADDRESS=0x2a000
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_SIZE=0x6b000
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_NAME=mcuboot_primary
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_ID=13
PM_mcuboot_primary_ID=PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_ID
PM_13_LABEL=MCUBOOT_PRIMARY
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_SPAN="app mcuboot_pad"
PM_APP_ADDRESS=0x2a200
PM_APP_SIZE=0x6ae00
PM_APP_NAME=app
PM_APP_ID=14
PM_app_ID=PM_APP_ID
PM_14_LABEL=APP
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_APP_ADDRESS=0x2a200
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_APP_SIZE=0x6ae00
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_APP_NAME=mcuboot_primary_app
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_APP_ID=15
PM_mcuboot_primary_app_ID=PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_APP_ID
PM_15_LABEL=MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_APP
PM_MCUBOOT_PRIMARY_APP_SPAN="app"
PM_SPM_APP_ADDRESS=0x2a200
PM_SPM_APP_SIZE=0x6ae00
PM_SPM_APP_NAME=spm_app
PM_SPM_APP_ID=16
PM_spm_app_ID=PM_SPM_APP_ID
PM_16_LABEL=SPM_APP
PM_SPM_APP_SPAN="app"
PM_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY_ADDRESS=0x95000
PM_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY_SIZE=0x6b000
PM_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY_NAME=mcuboot_secondary
PM_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY_ID=17
PM_mcuboot_secondary_ID=PM_MCUBOOT_SECONDARY_ID
PM_17_LABEL=MCUBOOT_SECONDARY
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_ADDRESS=0x20000000
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_SIZE=0x40000
PM_SRAM_PRIMARY_NAME=sram_primary
PM_NUM=18
PM_ALL_BY_SIZE="mcuboot_pad s0_pad s1_pad EMPTY_0 EMPTY_1 provision b0_image b0 mcuboot s1_image s0_image s0 s1 sram_primary app mcuboot_primary_app spm_app mcuboot_secondary mcuboot_primary"

[RAS_ID]

EMPTY_0:
address: 0x18200
placement:
before:
- s1_pad
region: flash_primary
size: 0xe00
EMPTY_1:
address: 0x19200
placement:
before:
- s1_image
region: flash_primary
size: 0xe00
app:
address: 0x2a200
region: flash_primary
size: 0x6ae00
b0:
address: 0x0
orig_span: &id001
- b0_image
- provision
region: flash_primary
size: 0x8000
span: *id001
b0_image:
address: 0x0
placement:
after:
- start
region: flash_primary
size: 0x7000
mcuboot:
address: 0x8200
placement:
before:
- mcuboot_primary
region: flash_primary
sharers: 0x1
size: 0x10000
mcuboot_pad:
address: 0x2a000
placement:
align:
start: 0x1000
before:
- mcuboot_primary_app
region: flash_primary
sharers: 0x2
size: 0x200
mcuboot_primary:
address: 0x2a000
orig_span: &id002
- app
- mcuboot_pad
region: flash_primary
sharers: 0x1
size: 0x6b000
span: *id002
mcuboot_primary_app:
address: 0x2a200
orig_span: &id003
- app
region: flash_primary
size: 0x6ae00
span: *id003
mcuboot_secondary:
address: 0x95000
placement:
after:
- mcuboot_primary
align:
start: 0x1000
region: flash_primary
share_size:
- mcuboot_primary
size: 0x6b000
provision:
address: 0x7000
placement:
after:
- b0_image
align:
start: 0x1000
region: flash_primary
size: 0x1000
s0:
address: 0x8000
orig_span: &id004
- mcuboot
- s0_pad
region: flash_primary
size: 0x10200
span: *id004
s0_image:
address: 0x8200
orig_span: &id005
- mcuboot
region: flash_primary
size: 0x10000
span: *id005
s0_pad:
address: 0x8000
placement:
after:
- b0
align:
start: 0x1000
region: flash_primary
share_size:
- mcuboot_pad
size: 0x200
s1:
address: 0x19000
orig_span: &id006
- s1_pad
- s1_image
region: flash_primary
size: 0x10200
span: *id006
s1_image:
address: 0x1a000
placement:
after:
- s1_pad
- s0
align:
end: 0x1000
region: flash_primary
share_size:
- mcuboot
size: 0x10000
s1_pad:
address: 0x19000
placement:
after:
- s0
align:
start: 0x1000
region: flash_primary
share_size:
- mcuboot_pad
size: 0x200
spm_app:
address: 0x2a200
orig_span: &id007
- app
region: flash_primary
size: 0x6ae00
span: *id007
sram_primary:
address: 0x20000000
region: sram_primary
size: 0x40000

[RAS_ID]

Hi,

Please find attached pm.config and partition. yml

Is the address a reason for the mcuboot update not working with the programmer?

Thanks,

Ram

[RAS_ID]

Hi,

I think my earlier observation was not correct, and update always happens at offset 0x200.

But, I am not able to update the bootloader using the nRF programmer. This is what I have found while programming the device with the nRF programmer.

1. Build the project and program the device (b0, mcuboot in so and s1, and application). I used merged.hex

2. Build the project without any change, and program the device with _b0_s0 (OR _b0_s1_, OR app_update.hex), no problem.

3. Build the project with a small change (modify a printf statement), and program the device with _b0_s0. The device fails to boot with _b0_s0 but boots with _b0_s1. I have found that the bootloader signature is changed.

4. Program the device with the newly built  app. There is no issue.

What may be the reason the signature of the bootloaders (_b0_s0_ and _b0_s1_) is changed in a built with a small change? I really appreciate your insights.

Thanks,

Ram

[Sigurd]

Hi Ram,

RAS_ID said:

What may be the reason the signature of the bootloaders (_b0_s0_ and _b0_s1_) is changed in a built with a small change?

Did you do a pristine build (e.g. west build with -p argument), or deleted the old build folder, when you build the project with the change(a modified printf statement)? If you are not setting your own CONFIG_SB_SIGNING_KEY_FILE, then the generated debug keys will be used. New debug keys are generated if you delete the build folder, or do a pristine build.