When I generate bootloader settings using nrfutil 6.1.0:
nrfutil settings generate --family NRF51 --application output\app.hex --application-version 0 --bootloader-version 0 --bl-settings-version 1 output\bl_settings.hex
The output indicates the start address is 0x3fc00:
Bootloader DFU Settings: * File: output\bl_settings.hex * Family: nRF51 * Start Address: 0x0003FC00 * CRC: 0x82D7CAEB * Settings Version: 0x00000001 (1) * App Version: 0x00000000 (0) * Bootloader Version: 0x00000000 (0) * Bank Layout: 0x00000000 * Current Bank: 0x00000000 * Application Size: 0x000138A8 (80040 bytes) * Application CRC: 0x49606557 * Bank0 Bank Code: 0x00000001 * Softdevice Size: 0x00000000 (0 bytes) * Boot Validation CRC: 0x00000000 * SD Boot Validation Type: 0x00000000 (0) * App Boot Validation Type: 0x00000000 (0)
However, looking at the hex file, it contains identical data at 0x3ec00 and ox3fc00:
:020000040003F7 :10EC0000EBCAD782010000000000000000000000F5 :10EC10000000000000000000A838010057656049AE :10EC200001000000000000000000000000000000E3 :10EC300000000000000000000000000000000000D4 :10EC400000000000000000000000000000000000C4 :0CEC5000000000000000000000000000B8 :10FC0000EBCAD782010000000000000000000000E5 :10FC10000000000000000000A8380100576560499E :10FC200001000000000000000000000000000000D3 :10FC300000000000000000000000000000000000C4 :10FC400000000000000000000000000000000000B4 :0CFC5000000000000000000000000000A8 :00000001FF
Is this a bug?