nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

Amanda Hsieh — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 09:13:06 GMT

Handled by https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/79571/dfu-update-from-nrf5-sdk-to-nrf-connect-sdk

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

FARLY7 — Sun, 12 Sep 2021 10:11:33 GMT

I am finally working on the process for UART DFU update from nRF5 SDK -> NCS, but I am having some issues.

I am testing with Nordic example projects as much as possible to help you identify any issues

I am flashing the PCA10040 (nRF52 DK) with the 'examples/dfu/secure_bootloader/pca10040_uart_debug' application included in the latest nRF_SDK_17.0.2. This application allows me to enter UART DFU bootloader. I can test writing the included test application 'examples/dfu/secure_dfu_test_images/uart/nrf52832/blinky_mbr.zip'. This process works fine as expected (nRF5 SDK -> nRF5 SDK).

To begin testing from nRF5 SDK -> NCS:

1. I again flash the same secure_bootloader DFU example application to enter DFU mode.

2. I then follow the instructions you linked here to flash the Zephyr blinky.zip application (I also add the --key-file parameter to sign it).

west build -b nrf52dk_nrf52832 zephyr/samples/basic/blinky
nrfutil pkg generate --hw-version 52 --sd-req=0x00 --application build/zephyr/zephyr.hex --application-version 1 blinky.zip --key-file private.key
nrfutil dfu serial -pkg blinky.zip -p /dev/ttyACM0

However, after the DFU seems to complete, the application does not boot (LEDs are not blinking). You can find the device DFU logs here.

NOTE: After DFU completes the logs always seem to be cut short, this occurs even on successful update with the example application earlier.

Some questions/points:

1. Flashing the Zephyr blinky example directly works fine as you would expect.

2. I also added the small change to the nRF bootloader that mtsunstrum suggested.

3. The instructions in the link you provided are only included in the nRF52840 Dongle board page, they are not included in the nRF52 DK board page. Are these instructions not compatible with nRF52 DK?

4. As there is no private.key provided with the secure_bootloader DFU example applications I use my own dfu_public_key.c and private.key files to like the bootloader and NCS Blinky application.

5. I have tried with both `nrfutil dfu serial` and `usb-serial` parameter. There seems to be slight differences in how the DFU completes at the end, but the end result is the same (LEDs are not blinking).

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

FARLY7 — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 19:17:00 GMT

Thanks for your reply, Amanda.

I am very interested to hear if this is possible using the nRF5 SDK UART DFU bootloader. I will be attempting it at some point so I would appreciate any instructions you can give similar to your post to KLLiew

I thought updating devices from nRF5 SDK to NCS over DFU would be a common request by users so perhaps it could deserve a blog post or an app note.

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

mtsunstrum — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 18:48:42 GMT

I do see a very small change in nrf_bootloader_fw_activation.c, in function sd_activate()

Commented out the return value ...

if (SD_MAGIC_NUMBER_GET(src_addr) != SD_MAGIC_NUMBER)
{
    NRF_LOG_ERROR("Source address does not contain a valid SoftDevice.")
    //return NRF_ERROR_INTERNAL;     << commented out this line
}

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

mtsunstrum — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 16:23:59 GMT

Hi Amanda,

Thank you for your reply.

Yes we are looking at OTA DFU to NCS for units in the field for nRF52832 devices.

I'll explore your notes above.

For Softdevice+bootloader (SoftDevice and bootloader) update, I'll have to dig deeper to understand if our system would be doing single or dual bank updates. (if that matters)

You mentioned some minor modifications to the existing bootloader to make it accept zephyr application as a Softdevice image

Does that mean the nRF Secure Bootloader had a specific code modification before it was progammed/shipped to customer ?

For We disabled flash protection to get around this limitation. ... I am not deep into understanding the inner workings in there, but is that a DFU image setting, or related to Bootloader code modification ?

Thanks again, Martin

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

Amanda Hsieh — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 13:44:57 GMT

Hi Sean,

[quote user="FARLY7"]Is this possible using the existing nRF SDK UART DFU Bootloader?[/quote]

I think it is possible, but I need time to try.

[quote user="FARLY7"]If so, does the existing nRF bootloader and MCUBoot bootloader coexist afterwards?[/quote]

No.

-Amanda H.

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

Amanda Hsieh — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 13:41:56 GMT

Hi Martin,

Are you looking to support OTA DFU to NCS on existing devices in the field? The MCUboot is placed at address 0x0 by default, the same place as where the MBR used to reside. It's however possible to relocate it with the partition manager. My colleague actually did this as an experiment a little while ago to see if it's possible to do DFU from nRF5 SDK 17 to NCS v.1.4.0. Attached below are the projects he made if you want to review them.

Memory layout (defined by pm_static.yml)

$ west build -b nrf52840dk_nrf52840 // West command to build peripheral_uart sample (MCUboot is automatically built as a child image, see Multi-image builds

$ west build -t rom_report // Ninja build target to display flash layout as shown below

FOTA from nRF5 SDK to NCS test

dfu_nRF5_NCS.zip

Some quick notes about the test:

1. Here we update MCUboot and the zephyr application image in one go by calling it a Softdevice+bootloader (SoftDevice and bootloader) update. So, this is able to overwrite the softdevice with the zephyr app. However, it did require some minor modifications to the existing bootloader to make it accept zephyr application as a Softdevice image.

2. The flash protection mechanism in MCUboot assumes that the mcuboot_primary slot is always placed after the mcuboot partition. We disabled flash protection to get around this limitation.

I haven't tried it on v1.6.0, but I will take time to do it later. Hope this can help.

-Amanda H.

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

mtsunstrum — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 23:25:51 GMT

Hi @KLLiew I reviewed your link, but could not see clear reference if we can migrate from nRF5 to NCS.

Did you see something specific in there ?

We have units in the field, that get upgrade via smartphone app, using the nRF5 Secure Bootloader.

I know that it can presumably update Application, and Bootloader and SoftDevice.

But to date, we have only performed Application updates.

Would be great if someone from Nordic could chime in here ...

It would really help in our planning of migration to NCS.

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

FARLY7 — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 16:23:10 GMT

Good timing with this question. We are also interested in the same thing.

We currently have ~500 nRF52832 devices in the field running nRF5 SDK. These are typically remotely updated over UART DFU to perform firmware upgrades using nRF5 SDK.

We would like to migrate future devices to NCS (nRF Connect SDK), and ideally, update those existing devices in the field to the NCS-based application.

Is this possible using the existing nRF SDK UART DFU Bootloader?

If so, does the existing nRF bootloader and MCUBoot bootloader coexist afterwards?

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

Amanda Hsieh — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 11:22:05 GMT

Hi Alan,

It is technically possible if you have enough memory. Here is a use case.

-Amanda H.

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

Patrick — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 15:21:46 GMT

I cannot seem to find the documentation I referred to, and I'm sure someone from Nordic will provide a definitive answer, but I do remember reading that DFU from the nRF SDK to NCS is not possible. It makes sense given that the bootloaders function quite differently.

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

KLLiew — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 05:22:10 GMT

Hi Patrick,

Sorry to make the confusion, i mean DFU Firmware update. Can we directly update firmware from nRF5 to NCS?

And I just found reference below:
https://nordicsemiconductor.github.io/Nordic-Thingy52-FW/documentation/dfu_connect.html

It sound like we can update from nRF5 to NCS. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

Thank you

RE: nRF5 SDK possible to OTA update to nRF Connect SDK?

Patrick — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 02:55:07 GMT

I cannot remember where I read this as it ha been a while, probably the NCS release notes, but it was made very clear that it is not possible to do an OTA update from the nRF SDK to NCS/mcuboot.