Programming custom NRF52 board using J-Link

[nuppo]

When I try to program custom NRF52 board using a J-Link v9 (It's probably a copy product), I'm getting the error below. I also have several NRF52/NRF53 DK boards when I try using their debug-out for programming, there is no problem. When I use J-Flash utility instead nrfjprog, again there is no problem.

Flashing: _build/toxophilite.hex
nrfjprog -f nrf52 --program _build/toxophilite.hex --sectorerase --log
ERROR: JLinkARM DLL reported an error. Try again. If error condition
ERROR: persists, run the same command again with argument --log, contact Nordic
ERROR: Semiconductor and provide the generated log.log file to them.
make: *** [Makefile:287: flash] Error 33
"make flash" terminated with exit code 2. Build might be incomplete.

I've attached the log.

Fullscreen 8838.log.log Download

[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] nrfjprog -f nrf52 --program _build/toxophilite.hex --sectorerase --log 
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] nrfjprog version 10.12.1 
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [ nRF0x0] - open_dll
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [ nRF0x0] - Load library at C:\Program Files (x86)\Nordic Semiconductor\nrf-command-line-tools\bin\JLINKARM_NRF52_NRFJPROG.dll.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [ nRF0x0] - Library loaded, loading member functions.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [ nRF0x0] - Member functions succesfully loaded.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - Logger callback at 0x522020 registered in Segger backend logger.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] Logger callback at 0x522020 registered in JLink logger.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [nRF520x0] - open
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - open_dll
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - No J-Link DLL path was provided. Attempting to auto detect.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - Load library at C:\Program Files (x86)\SEGGER\JLink\JLinkARM.dll.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - Library loaded, loading member functions.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - Member functions succesfully loaded.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - dll_version
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - Segger dll version 6.98.e loaded.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [ nRF0x0] - enum_emu_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [nRF520x0] - enum_emu_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - is_connected_to_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - enum_emu_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - ---just_enum_emu_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - ---just_get_num_emus
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - is_connected_to_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [ nRF0x0] - connect_to_emu_with_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [nRF520x0] - connect_to_emu_with_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - is_connected_to_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - connect_to_emu_with_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - is_connected_to_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - ---just_enum_emu_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - ---just_get_num_emus
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - ---just_connect_to_emu_with_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - ---just_connect_to_emu_without_snr
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - Segger logging enabled.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] Firmware: J-Link V9 compiled Feb  2 2021 16:34:10
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] Firmware: J-Link V9 compiled Feb  2 2021 16:34:10
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] Decompressing FW timestamp took 250 us
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] Hardware: V9.20
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] S/N: 4294967295
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] OEM: SEGGER
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] Feature(s): RDI, FlashBP, FlashDL, JFlash, GDB
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] TELNET listener socket opened on port 19021
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] WEBSRV Starting webserver
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] WEBSRV Webserver running on local port 19080
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 13.646ms returns "O.K."  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_Lock()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_GetHWStatus(...)  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.616ms returns 0  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_ExecCommand("SetRestartOnClose = 0", ...).   
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.013ms returns 0x01  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_ExecCommand("DisableFlashDL", ...).   
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.009ms returns 0x00  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_ExecCommand("ExcludeFlashCacheRange 0x0-0xFFFFFFFF", ...).   
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.213ms returns 0x00  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_SetHookUnsecureDialog  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_SetHookUnsecureDialog(...)
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.040ms returns 0  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_TIF_Select(JLINKARM_TIF_SWD)  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.577ms returns 0x00  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_SetSpeed(2000)  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.098ms  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_GetSN()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.017ms returns -1  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_HasError()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [Backend] - JLinkARM.dll reported "-1", an unknown error.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] - 0.043ms  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [ info] [  JLink] - [Info    ] [JLink     ] JLINK_Close()  
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - is_connected_to_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [ nRF0x0] - close_dll
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [nRF520x0] - close
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - is_connected_to_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - close
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - disconnect_from_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - is_connected_to_emu
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [Backend] - Segger Backend closed.
[2021-Mar-31 13:57:23] [debug] [nRF520x0] - nRF family DLL closed

[Susheel Nuguru]

it seems like the nrfjrpog is not able to see few values related to the product build in the registers at connect time. This can happen like you suspected if this is a copy product or if the device memory has been corrupted. Where do you buy the product? 

[nuppo]

I bought it from a local store so it's most likely a copy. But I wonder how this works with Segger's J-Flash utility not with nrfjprog.

[Susheel Nuguru]

It is very possible that the nrfjprog performs some initial checks on the factory settings and attempts to connect to it in a bit different way based on the build code and product version. Segger might not perform this checks and just tries to connect which might be working luckily.