nrfjprog --program <> --verify fails at certain conditions. nrfjprog --recover only helps

RE: nrfjprog --program <> --verify fails at certain conditions. nrfjprog --recover only helps

Jared — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 10:19:26 GMT

Hi,

[quote user="Valerii_Ie"] I happens with different devices but not frequent.[/quote]

Is Nordic development kits included in this?

[quote user="Valerii_Ie"] I would suggest it somehow related to device power or jlink programmer state.[/quote]

What debugger are you using and how is the board supply?

regards

Jared

RE: nrfjprog --program <> --verify fails at certain conditions. nrfjprog --recover only helps

Valerii_Ie — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:05:45 GMT

Hi, I happens with different devices but not frequent. Sometimes I can reproduce it several times in sequence, sometimes it does not happen for months. I would suggest it somehow related to device power or jlink programmer state. Next time when it happen i will check UICR but we don't use it for storing any "user" information (only bootloader address, MBR data address and reset pin)

RE: nrfjprog --program <> --verify fails at certain conditions. nrfjprog --recover only helps

Jared — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 07:00:35 GMT

Hi,

Most of the peripherals will be cleared i.e. set back to its reset state after you have executed a Power-On-Reset. A power cycle would thus set most peripherals back to their default state. An immediate reason I can think of is that an erase all will erase everything in addition to the UICR register. Are you using some of the registers in the UICR in your application?

[quote user="Valerii_Ie"]It is custom board and unfortunately, I can't share the schematic. I don't have it.[/quote]

Ok. But are you able to reproduce the issue on a development kit? If you are, then we could at least exclude the HW of being source of the issue.

Also, how many samples are you observing this issue on?

best regards

Jared

RE: nrfjprog --program <> --verify fails at certain conditions. nrfjprog --recover only helps

Valerii_Ie — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 15:08:40 GMT

Hi Jared,
It is custom board and unfortunately, I can't share the schematic. I don't have it.
I have tried many times with different j-link adapters, powercycled, restarted PC, changed cables, reconnected USB hub etc. I know usually it helps.

But in this case it doesn't help. After unsuccessful verification i have dumped the flash and realized that only first about 20kB were programmed. That's why verification fails. I also checked BPROT to exclude some protection reason.
What is actually helped:

nrfjprog --readcode dump.hex
nrfjprog -e
nrfjprog --program dump.hex --verify --reset

after -eraseall now i can write the same firmwase 10+ times and all attempts are successful.

My understanding is that --eraseall lead to clear of some peripheral in NRF52 that prevents chip from successful write.

Any ideas?

RE: nrfjprog --program <> --verify fails at certain conditions. nrfjprog --recover only helps

Jared — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 13:20:32 GMT

Hi,

Have you tried something simple as changing the USB cable? We often see that this is a common culprit. Also, are you using a custom board or a development kit. If it's former, could you upload the schematics? I can make the case private first if you prefer it.

regards

Jared