Device memory does not load - nRF5340-DK

[Superpanda]

Hi,

Yesterday I received the nRF5340-DK. I started following the 'Get started' procedure on the product page. The LEDs start pulsating and pressing the buttons lights up one of the LEDs as described. After that, I tried to program the 'Heart Rate Monitor' demo application, as suggested on the 'Getting started with nRF Connect SDK' page (https://infocenter.nordicsemi.com/index.jsp?topic=%2Fug_gsg_ncs%2FUG%2Fgsg%2Ffirst_test.html).

I encounter a problem when trying to write the hex files for the Heart Rate Monitor demo to the board using the nRF Connect Programmer. The programmer does detect the board as the nRF5340-DK in the board selector, but the is labeled as 'unknown' in the device memory layout section. Also, all operations that can be performed on the device (erase all, write, read etc.) are greyed out (see attached screenshot).

My setup:

PC: HP Zbook G4 Studio 

OS: Windows 10

nRF Connect for Desktop v3.9.3

nRF Connect Programmer v2.2.0

The log looks as follows:

09:37:08.818	Using @nordicsemiconductor/nrf-device-lib-js version: 0.4.1
09:37:08.819	Using nrf-device-lib version: 0.9.8
09:37:08.819	Using nrfjprog dll version: 10.15.1
09:37:08.819	Using JLink version: 6.88a
09:37:09.154	Application data folder: C:\Users\super\AppData\Roaming\nrfconnect\pc-nrfconnect-programmer
09:37:12.159	Using @nordicsemiconductor/nrf-device-lib-js to communicate with target via JLink
09:37:12.160	JLink OB firmware version J-Link OB-nRF5340-NordicSemi compiled Dec 3 2021 15:46:49
09:37:12.163	Device family
09:37:12.165	Device version
09:37:12.167	Board version PCA10095

I have followed the same procedure using another PC with the same results.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix this issue?

Kind regards,

C

 

[Marte Myrvold]

Hi,

It is possible that readback protection is enabled. Please try to recover the device to disable the readback protection. You can do so by entering the following commands in a terminal:

nrfjprog --recover --coprocessor CP_NETWORK
nrfjprog --recover

Make sure that you order you enter the commands are as above, as you must recover the network core before the application core.

Best regards.

Marte

[Superpanda]

Thank you for your help. I am now indeed able to read the application memory and write to the application memory. I am still unable to write the hci_open_amp.hex file to the device (from the heart rate monitor demo), which is meant for the network core. It does not show up in the 'File memory layout' window. When the board is disconnected, I am able to add it to the File memory layout window (See images).

[Marte Myrvold]

Hi,

I checked with the developers, and this seems to be a bug in the current version of nRF Connect for Desktop. They are currently working on fixing this, but I do not have a time frame for when this will be fixed.

In the meantime you can program the samples using command line by following the steps explained here: Using the command line.

Another option is to downgrade nRF Connect for Desktop to v3.7 and use that until this is fixed. Follow these instructions to use the older version:

1. Download the latest 3.7 version of nRF Connect for Desktop from https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-tools/nRF-Connect-for-desktop/Download?lang=en#infotabs (for macOS this is 3.7.2, for Windows and Linux 3.7.1, because 3.7.2 was not needed and not released for these).
2. After starting nRF Connect for Desktop 3.7 a prompt will come up about the 3.8 upgrade. Click “No” on this.
3. In the Settings, click on “Add source”, enter the URL developer.nordicsemi.com/.../apps.json and click “Add”.
4. Back in the list of all apps, all apps should show up twice now, one with “official” below them and one with “3.7 compatible apps” below them. If you want to hide the incompatible versions, click on “Filter” and deselect “Official”.
5. Install the apps you need in the old versions and use them.

Best regards,

Marte